


Perceptor's Study into the Behavior and Lifestyle of Decepticon Breeds and Sub-Classes

by Zuperbuu



Category: Transformers AU - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Diary/Journal, Documentation, Experimental Style, Other, Research, Social Experiments
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-11
Updated: 2013-11-17
Packaged: 2017-12-23 04:33:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 33,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/922033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zuperbuu/pseuds/Zuperbuu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(Used mainly for reference, for those who read The Renegade Decepticon series.)</p><p>Perceptor has been working on a series of journals, guides and log-books surrounding various studies into Decepticons and the way they live; from their biological differences to the psychological deviations, Perceptor has covered it all...or at least, likes to think he has.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. SECTION 1: Anatomy

**Author's Note:**

> This was one of those things where...I had no idea what to classify it as. It's not exactly a fanfiction, but it's not entirely canon-lore either...it's entirely made up for my Alternate Universe, and (kind of) helps people understand certain things that I wrote that don't exist in the Transformers Canon (such as how the hell they can breed.)
> 
> Because this whole project was MASSIVE, there are a few missing bits of information in this as I am still working on the project. But everything you need to know to help you read The Renegade Decepticon series with little confusion (minus the first installment, Solars Flare).

** PERCEPTORS STUDY INTO THE BEHAVIOUR AND LIFESTYLE OF DECEPTICON BREEDS AND SUB-CLASSES **

 

**Contents**

 

SECTION 1: Anatomy (complete)  
 _We delve deeper into the Decepticon through basic observations and dissection in how their bodies function. This section is not for the squeamish._  
  
SECTION 2: Advanced Behavior (complete)  
 _Each breed behaves slightly different from the others, but how and why? This section is a broad subject and has been narrowed down to three behavior studies._

SECTION 3: Abnormalities (complete)  
 _Just other topics that are still in some form of scientific doubt or ongoing study._  
  
SECTION 4:Decepticon Breeds (complete)  
 _What breeds of Decepticon are there? What separates each one from the rest?_

SECTION 5: Decepticon Culture (complete)  
 _We explore into the history and culture surrounding the Decepticons; from folklore to ancient deity worship, all the way up to their modern-day social Hierarchy._  
  
SECTION 6: Evolution (complete)  
 _The Decepticons were once the most dominant Genus of Cybertronian under Quintesson rule; how far have they come since being free from their oppressors?_

SECTION 7: Extinction (complete)  
 _Some breeds and sub-breeds of Decepticon are now extinct; what caused them to go extinct? Is the fate of extinction lying on another breeds doorstep?_  
  
SECTION 8:   **Case Study: Life within a Decepticon Tribe**  
 _To further understand how all of the above sections are put into practice, research has been performed on a living 'untouched' group of Decepticons living in Cybertrons wilderness. What roles do certain breeds play within the group? How are their borders protected against intruders? These are but a few questions I will answer in this 3-year study of a single Decepticon Tribe, and how it survives._

  
  
  
SECTION 1: Anatomy

  
Now we're into the physical sides of our research; this section will cover basic anatomy of the Decepticon Genus, along with minor alterations that span out for each breed.

 

 **Subject A: The Brain**  
  
For this process we needed to view a working Decepticon brain, however not all breeds of Decepticon felt comfortable with a brain-scan which is a painless procedure. We managed to obtain x-rays of the Decepticon head for each breed to make our own guess as to how much brain power is used for certain tasks. Each category has the breed with the biggest section, of the specified part of the brain, first with any others following after.  
  
The breeds with the largest scent detection, registration and storage glands were; _The Leader Class, the Berserker, the Combaticon._  
  
The breeds with the largest visual receptors were; _The Seeker, the Triple Changer, the Leader Class._  
  
The Breeds with the largest auditory receptors were; _The Seeker, the Stunticon, the Predacon._  
  
The breeds with the largest thought processor were; _The Berserker, the Leader Class, the Cassetticon._  
  
The only breed with a high creativity processor was _the Seeker_.  
  
To conclude with the Top 5.  
1) _The Seeker is creative; relying heavily on visual and auditory receptors. They take full advantage of these larger brain sections to make amazing displays._  
2) _The Leader Class is crafty; relying on their sense of smell, vision and large thought processor to take its prey out totally unawares._  
3) _The Berserker is dangerous; they rely heavily on their sense of smell and quick wits to formulate a plan which would take down even the most prepared of foes._  
4) _The Triple Changer is curious; using their large visual receptors allows the Triple Changer to thoroughly inspect oddities and conclude what to do with them._  
5) _The Stunticon is well prepared; using it's keen auditory receptors allows the Stunticon to hear approaching threats or prey, and assists in their balance which allows them to catapult through the air and land on their wheels again so smoothly._

  
  
 **Subject B: The Optics**  
  
Each Breed has different shaped optics, and to some they even have a different amount of optics. We were able to examine each breeds optics and to conclude our findings here for future referencing.  
  
1) _The Leader Class has fairly average-sized optics that face directly forwards, giving them excellent vision both close-up and at a distance. The color registry is roughly the same as the average mammal, signifying that although color is useful for displays, they are not as important as other senses._  
  
2) _The Berserker has the worst vision of any Decepticon; they have a single optic that faces directly forward, immediately putting them at a disadvantage due to depth perception issues. Their color registry is normal like the average mammal._

3) _The Seeker has the most advanced optics of any Decepticon breed; binocular vision allows them to see threats and prey at long distances, yet they can also focus their vision on very close items and literature. Their color receptors are astoundingly similar to Earth birds, meaning color is very important to the Seeker and it's way of life._

4) _The Triple Changer, like it's Seeker cousin, also has keen vision and color perception. They can't see as far away as a Seeker can, but that does not rule out the importance vision plays for them._

5) _Combaticon optics face directly forwards like 90% of all Decepticon breeds, however; a majority of their optic designs involve the unity of two single optics into one very large optic (commonly mistaken for a visor.) This allows them to see threats at a full 180 degree radius without having to even turn their head. Color receptors are average._

6) _Stunticon's heavily rely on their vision in their fast pursuits and quite often paranoid lifestyles. Their optics are large, allowing masses of light to pass through. This can in a way 'slow down' their surroundings, granting them their insanely quick driving speeds without worrying about their vision blurring. Their color receptors showed slight importance for color, but nothing remarkable._

7) _The Predacon's optics vary from sub-breed to sub-breed, with a majority facing directly forward. Again, some sub-breeds have binocular vision whilst others have very poor vision. Color, however, seems very important for each sub-breed; with those that have wings posessing the best and most active color receptors._

8) _The Cassetticon's commonly have optics similar to Combaticons; however, the Cassetticon possess binocular vision far superior to a Combaticon. They also rely more on color than their more aggressive cousins._

9) _The Terracon vision is the third poorest of all Decepticon Breeds; they can see far, but can not see up close. They possess obvious blind-spots and have no sense of color definition. They are colorblind as well as partially blind anyway._

10) _The Constructicon's have the third best vision out of all the Decepticon Breeds, and also have the third highest color receptors. This is quite an obvious finding, considering the Constructicon's (as their name defines) are creative and need to see clearly in both color and regular vision. Nothing miraculous was learnt about them on this subject._

11) _Now onto the Insecticon; our research has concluded that the Insecticons are colorblind but compensate for this loss with the ability to see in a darkness that not even a Predacon can see through. They have binocular vision, yes, but they cannot read that well when close to a target; this concludes that the Insecticon is far-sighted._

12) _The Sweep's have the second poorest vision of all Decepticon breeds; narrowly escaping claiming first (that belongs to the Berserker). They are far-sighted but suffer from rapidly blurring vision the faster they try to fly, and their color receptors aren't that spectacular either. One can assume that (much like us) the Sweeps cannot tell each other apart through sight, and might rely on another sense to do that instead._

13) _The Common/Standard Decepticon has forward-facing optics able to see at a fair distance and read up-close documents; they can see the same level of color as the average Autobot but benefit from one bonus we do not...night-vision. Yes, the average Decepticon can see in the dark...a little._

**Subject C: The Mouth & Vocal Processors**

The Vocal processor is equally important to all Decepticons, so they can communicate to one another and make threatening displays using their voices. However, only four Decepticon breeds make use of their vocal processors in a totally different manner.

1) _The Leader Class has the loudest roar of any known Cybertronian. The special spheres in their vocal processors (needed to create such powerful roars) vibrate at near triple the speed of any lesser Decepticon, this makes the roar of a Leader Class sound much louder and creates the false sound of multiple attackers. This is what causes the shock-paralysis._

2) _The Berserker uses it's vocal processor in a similar fashion to the Leader Class; however, the spheres in its vocal processor are much smaller, and it needs to roar multiple times to make any sounds similar to it's stronger relation._

3) _The Stunticon can manipulate it's vocals into sounds that are very similar to the roar of a cars engine. These sounds have no known purpose._

4) _The Seeker has the most complicated vocal processor of any Decepticon Breed; they can communicate in completely different languages with ease, as well as manipulating common sounds into new ones for private seeker-to-seeker communication. Upon examining the processor of both living and dead specimens; we found a large section of the vocal processor was inflamed, and by blowing air through this inflamed chamber we heard some of the many 'seeker-to-seeker' sounds. My colleagues as I have called this special section of the processor 'the resonating chamber'._

So whilst a majority of Decepticons manipulate their vocals to scare or threaten others, the Seeker uses its own for more friendly social activities. A Seeker who is skilled in using their Resonating Chamber can even mimic the voices of others (Crasher is a wonderful example of this. Go and ask him to mimic your voice, he'll do it flawlessly.) According to Acidstorm and Solarflare, certain sounds have specific purposes to a Seeker. I could write an entirely new book on each sound and what they mean, but I cannot do that right now.  
Here are a few examples to get you started anyway.

1) 'Coo-ing' is a sound that is often used as an insult; it is used repetitively over and over to annoy the individual. (The sound is made by these three words, accompanied by a whistle: **_ko-coo-coo_** )

2) 'Chirping' is a sound that is used as a positive greeting; it can also be used for courting a mate if used repetitively. (The sound is made by these words: **_Chee-she-choo_** )

3) 'Whistling' is used in mating rituals, and is only ever used outside of such activities as an insult. The whistle of a Seeker is higher pitched than that of any other Cybertronian or mammal.

4) 'Kaw-ing' is a sound used to inform other Seekers of the users location. (The sound is made by these words: **_Ka-ka-na-ka-ka-ka-na_** It is used repeatedly to warn other Seekers of danger.)  
  
Now onto the other part of our physical examinations; teeth. All Decepticons have fangs, but only six Decepticons in particular have exceedingly abnormal ones; the Leader Class, the Berserker, the Seeker, the Predacon, the Terracon and the Insecticon.  
The Leader Class and Berserker have lightly serrated fangs that allow them to tear through the thin layers of chassis smoothly. Both sets of teeth also appeared thick and sturdy. It was confirmed by Acidstorm that if a Berserker loses a tooth, they do not grow any back. Although they may seem the same, _the Leader Class and Berserker do not have identical teeth types._  
The Leader Class' tooth is far thicker, and is strong enough to bite through chassis AND framework in one bite. This in effect makes the Leader Class a 'bone-crusher'. The Seeker on the other hand has small fangs, with plenty of serration to allow it those quick bites. Closer inspection also revealed a small undercut at the tip of the fang, which Solarflare (reluctantly) confirmed as being used to bite a female with during mating to keep her submissive. Female also have this feature, but it is only ever used to bite back at a male after mating is finished. The Predacon fang types vary from sub-breed to sub-breed. But many of them have a strong enough jaw to maintain a bite for long periods of time; their teeth are not as strong as the other breeds of Decepticon we mentioned, but that jaw mechanism is what really packs the punch. The same can be said for the Terracon.  
The Insecticon teeth have large serrations to slice up metal into small sizes, to make digestion easier and more effective. Our study also confirmed that the Insecticons had filters between each tooth, allowing them to eat even the most dirty of metals without getting sick.

 

**Subject D: The Processor & Spark**

Our next subject is a rather brief topic; the Processor and Spark. Now I do not wish to linger on this subject as our findings proved inconclusive on many occasions, since more similarities to our own Autobot bodies were found within our Decepticon specimens than anything unique. The few puzzling and curious traits we did find, however, were the following;

1) **A Decepticon Spark beats twice as fast as an Autobots, even when the subject is seemingly relaxed.**

2) **A Decepticon is able to break down Biological life forms within its processor into Bio-fuels.**

3) **An Insecticons processor is protected with a special inner-coating that allows it to consume normally hazardous materials perfectly safely.**

**Subject E: The Fusion Cavity**

The next subject on the agenda is the Decepticon Fusion Cavity, or to our Human readers; the Decepticon reproductive system.  
All breeds of female Decepticon have the same Fusion Cavity as their Female Autobot counterparts; the only major difference is the size of the cavity itself. Decepticon Female Breeding Units have a Fusion Cavity that can carry a maximum of 80 eggs, near double the amount of the average Female Decepticon; this makes them the biggest producer of offspring in any known Cybertronian.  
Male Decepticons reproductive equipment (called a Hose, or Rod in slang) isn't that different from Male Autobots in function, or in appearance in its relaxed state. However, when stimulated, the hose erects several spikes around its tip and (on some breeds) even down the full length of the shaft. Acidstorm explained why these spikes are important to the Decepticon reproductive process.  
And I quote; _"Without those spikes, half of the females a Decepticon mates with would never bare any offspring; the spikes not only double the size of the hose making the female put out more Unitron (eggs) but they also stop any of his Solder (sperm) from escaping the females port. Oh, and some breeds also found other uses for the Spikes; such as forcing the female into submission and using them to lock into the female port to prevent her from fleeing."_ And I continue; _"The Spikes also scoop out rival male Solder to reduce the chances of the rival obtaining any offspring, since a female will only look after one males young at a time...unless she's one hell of a good mother."_ Acidstorm continued by explaining to me of the major differences between the three Sub-Classes I mentioned in the first chapter of this document; the Scout Class, the Breeding Unit and the Six-Changer.  
 _"Every breed has a slight difference in their hose, sure, but the major difference between each breed when it comes to reproduction is HOW they court and HOW they go about mating. The only three Decepticons with major physical differences with their reproductive equipment are the Scout Class, Breeding Unit and Six-Changer." "The Scout Class is the ONLY Decepticon with no Spikes at all on the hose. To compensate for the benefits of having them, the Scout floods his hose with more Energon to make it feel larger to the female."_  
"The Six-Changer has four Ball-Bearings instead of just two, making them put out more Solder than any other Male in a short period of time. The Six-Changer also has near double the amount of Spikes on their hose, making any mating sessions a female has with one nearly agonizingly painful."  
"The Breeding Unit have rapidly refilling Ball-Bearings, at the expense of having low ammunition for fighting, and produces ten times the amount of Solder than any other male in a single mating session. If that wasn't good enough, they also have tentacle like devices in their abdomens that can help them either restrain their mates or enable them to mate with multiple partners at the same time. Any female that mates with a male Breeding Unit is guaranteed to get pregnant."  
  
Acidstorm made it quite clear that The Breeding Unit must be mated from an early age, otherwise serious complications arise. He was kind enough to give me a medical record of Crasher from his youth for my research. What I read in the record was shocking.  
  
 **Crasher Tantalus**  
  
Age: **22 (Cybertronian)**  
Energon Levels: **Stable**  
Cybertonium Levels: **Low**  
Misc Metal Levels: **Critical**  
Joint Articulation: **Poor**  
Processor Status: **Failing**  
Optic Reading: **Failing**  
Auditory Receptor Reading: **Stable**  
Vocal Processor: **Stable**  
Balance/Stabilizers: **Poor** (It's always been this way)  
Ball-Bearings: **Swollen** (Needs urgently emptying)  
Fusion Cavity: **Critical**  
  
Notes: _Crasher has continued to refuse treatment or surgery for his Fusion Cavity and Ball-Bearings, and is refusing to take the necessary procedures to help himself recover._  
-His oder remains unchanged, even after all the baths I've given him.  
-He claims to be losing sleep and having a quick temper at minor issues.  
-He has been starving himself for reasons he refused to talk about; this is causing his processor to fail and his movement and vision to rapidly deplete.  
-I found numerous bruising on his abdomen and bite marks on his hands; both injury types match Crashers own fist shape and fang shape, proving he is torturing himself.  
  
Should he continue down this route of neglecting his Breeding Unit nature, torturing himself and causing his self-neglect, I will have to take matters into my own hands and force surgery upon him.  
  
Acidstorms record also was accompanied with a report to Thundercracker, which he also kindly supplied to me.  
  
 _Thundercracker,_  
  
 _This message is urgent and requires the upmost of your attention; it's about our Leader, Crasher, and his current medical condition._  
 _I just finished my medical examination of him, and I can sadly inform you he's not followed any of my therapeutic instructions or decided to go ahead with surgery; because of this his functionality is rapidly reaching critical status and I fear he may enter Stasis Lock should he remain untreated. I've also noticed Crasher has been biting his hands and punching his abdomen area; you know what this means, right? You thought it was bad enough he was fragging-off and being rude to the girls who tried courting him, but now he's resorted to self-harm and starving himself._  
 _No breeding Unit should have to cause so much unneeded suffering and misery upon itself, let alone Crasher; removing his Ball-Bearings will rid him of this depression and anger he has within himself right now. You know that without a female in his life, Crasher will see no point in staying alive once this war is finished. We need to take action NOW before he gets himself killed from how weak he has become...or kills himself. I have already decided upon taking Crasher to Torkulon for more advanced therapy, but I need your permission before I can go ahead with it._  
 _Please find enclosed the details on Torkulon and what they could do to help Crasher. If all else fails, we will have to remove his ball-bearings; he's left us little options left._  
  
 _-Acidstorm_  
  
  
This record alongside the report has explained that a Male Breeding Unit that refuses to mate, or maintain itself to remain reproductively functional, becomes mentally unstable and brings harm onto others as well as itself. The only solution to helping a Male Breeding Unit that refuses to do as nature tells him to are the following:  
  
1) **Constant encouragement from comrades to court and find a mate.**

2) **Therapy to help the male reconsider his choice of celibacy (or other similar problems.)**

3) **Surgery to reduce the size of the Fusion Drive section of the brain, making their symptoms far smaller.**

4) **Surgery to remove both Ball-bearings to remove all forms of Fusion Drive and any symptoms caused by it.**  
  
Option 3 is only ever considered if the male has tried both options 1 and 2 but still suffers extreme symptoms, even after mating. Option 4 is an extreme-case solution and is only ever used for males that refuse to cooperate in any other options, treatments or therapeutics. Males who become too hostile to communicate with also undergo this treatment.

 

**Subject F: Joints & Framework**

The Decepticon joints on some breeds are far more advanced than others, the opposite could also be said for some sub-breeds.  
-It has become a well known fact that _only the Berserker can swing its arms at lightening speeds without dislocating them._ All other breeds are unable to do this.  
-It has also been established that the Triple-Changer has the most _durable framework, but fairly limited joint articulation_ , allowing them to withstand great force at the expense of swift movement before having to succumb to defeat.  
-The Seeker has _the weakest framework, but the second most articulated joints_ of the Decepticon breeds.  
-No matter a breeds chassis strength; a Decepticon Leader Class Male can _still bite through it in one bite_.

 


	2. SECTION 2: Advanced Behavior

SECTION 2: (Advanced) Behavior 

Although through our studies we have concluded each Decepticon breed is diversely different, we can also safely say that throughout the entire genus each breed also follows a set of reoccurring behavioral traits. Slight alterations in each breed over the following subjects are highly likely; but the genus as a whole follow the common set of, what we like to call, 'rules'. 

 

 **Subject A: Displaying Peacefully and Aggressively**  

In this subject we look into the way a Decepticon (as a whole) display both positively and aggressively; knowing the differences between a standard threat display and a serious threat display may save an individuals life, so do not take this subject lightly. This section is intended as an important part of the Autobot and Human Survival Guide; read it's content carefully if you are around or going to handle Decepticons.

-Displaying Aggressively-  
There are four things to look for in a Decepticon that seems to be displaying threats to you, to determine if the threat is to ward you away or if their intentions are more hostile; when confronted by a displaying Decepticon, ask yourself these questions:  **Is the Decepticon fanning out it's crest? What color is the crest? What posture/stance is the Decepticon using? Is the Decepticon making any sounds or physical gestures?**    
Now onto the answers. 

The Crest:  
  
-If the Decepticon has it's crest  **tucked back**  it means the individual is frightened, and that you should step further away or work around the Decepticon; raising your weapon will just cause more problems.  
-If the Decepticons' crest is  **opened out**  it is a sign that the individual is warning you, but is not having any seriously malicious desires for a fight; your best bet again is to step back and not raise your weapons.  
-Finally; a Decepticon with a  **fully fanned out**  crest is seeking to attack, and you should raise your weapons and be ready to defend yourself.

The Color of the Crest:  
-A Decepticon with a naturally toned crest (usually the same color as their chassis) that is displaying aggressively is either  **afraid or startled**  and you should not expect them to attack, so do not raise your weapons.  
-A Decepticon with a  **burning red**  crest is seeking to  **attack** , and you should be prepared for a fight.

The Posture/Stance:  
-If the Decepticon's posture is with its  **head low, body slumped forwards, but no baring of fangs**  then the individual is frightened and you should not raise your weapon.  
-If the Decepticon's posture is any different, and displays one or more of the two other aggressive traits, you should prepare for a fight.

Physical Gestures & Sounds:  
-It is normal for you to hear growling around any Decepticon, no matter if it's afraid or hostile. You should only be listening out for the volume of the growl and if the individual is snapping its fangs at you. Decepticons that growl loudly and snap their fangs are usually afraid and are trying to ward you off.  
-If the growling starts to become very loud, accompanied by snarls and the stomping of feet or other limbs, then you need to stand back; the Decepticon is either warning you or is challenging you. (To save the further issues of diplomatic problems between Autobot and Decepticon, you should not accept any challenges.)  
\- When a Decepticon starts to roar, stomp its feet or other limbs and snarl savagely then be prepared to defend yourself. Knowing the differences between these four visual displays can not only save your life, but can also help in the future to avoid any conflicts between Autobot, Human and Decepticon alike. We can, after all, only learn to live alongside the genus if we understand them.

-Displaying Peacefully-  
A Decepticon does not just use displays to threaten its enemies or to scare off potential threats; displaying is also used as a positive social interaction. There are six forms of positive displaying, which are NOT to be confused with aggressive displays (confusion between the two has caused previous conflicts in the past that could have been avoided.)  
  
 **1) A perked crest, with either the natural color or a pinkish color, is a display of curiosity and should not be mistaken for a threat display.**  
2) Chirping (Seekers) and Purring (others) are none-hostile sounds that are used as positive greetings. A Seeker that is whistling is only insulting a fellow Seeker, and is meant to be none-aggressive to other creatures.  
3) A Decepticon that sits down at your approach is displaying no desire to attack or even put up any threats.  
4) If a Decepticon is lying down and turns onto their back, with their arms above their head, they are relaxed by your presence (this gesture has often been mistaken for a courting display, which it isn't.)  
5) A Decepticon that releases a roar at empty space (not directly at you) is informing you that this area is its territory and that you can pass through. If the individual roars directly at you, it is warning you not to advance into its territory.  
6) if a Decepticon twitches its crest repeatedly at you, it is a positive (and more personal) greeting and is not to be mistaken for a courting display.   
  
Mistakes are easy to make when returning displays to Decepticons as well, for example; if a Decepticon shows you its crest positively you should do the same, so as not to offend the individual. When around a Berserker; do not stare directly at their optic unless you are a trusted companion as it makes them nervous.  
Do not roar back at a roaring Decepticon; this counts as challenging them. Only chirp back at a Seeker if you yourself are not a Seeker or an Aerialbot. (You should know this already if that is the case.)  
If a Decepticon turns onto its back whilst lying beside you, remain lying the same way as you were previously; mimicking the exact display should only be done by fellow Decepticons. You now have a basic understanding of the differences between a threatening display, a hostile display and a peaceful display. Remember to take care over what you do when confronted by any of the three types, and know when to draw your weapon and when not to. 

 

 **Subject B: Hunting and Attacking**    
  
It is noted that Decepticons 80% of the time hunt in groups; varying from mated pairs all the way up to swarms of hundreds of individuals. A pack is more likely to bring down bigger prey, gather more Energon and most important of all; guarantees a kill to be made.

-A Decepticon that hunts alone is usually an outcasted rogue, or is part of a mated pair that has taken a shift in obtaining resources.  
-A pack of Decepticons is always lead by the largest male or female of the group, with some exceptions; such as the manner in which the Seekers choose their Flock Leader or if a Leader Class takes over a group.  
-In terms of rank; the Pack Leader gets to feast on the kill, foraged items or Energon first. The Omega of the pack is the last, and is usually assigned this role based on their attitude towards the Pack Leader.  
-The Constructicons are the only Decepticon breed that form a Pack and usually do not make kills; they are mainly foragers and scavengers.  
-Insecticon Swarms are the largest form of attack-unit in the Cybertronian Record; a single Swarm can contain hundreds of individual Insecticons. Luckily the Insecticons are purely foragers and will scavenge dead Cybertronians if they are available.  
  
There are also five different methods of attack that are preferred through the breeds of Decepticon.  
-Biting the throat, creating death by either suffocation or blood loss (favored by the Leader Class and Berserker)  
-Crushing the victim to death (favored by Triple Changers and Combaticons)  
-Clawing the victim quickly, creating death by blood loss (favored by the Seekers)  
-Pursuing the victim over great distances, creating death by exhaustion (favored by Stunticons)  
-Attacking in massive groups all at once, bombarding and overwhelming the victim (favored by all)  
  
The usual tactics for any Decepticon in hunting its prey are either  **ambush or quick chase**. Ambush is the most common practice between mated pairs, as the female chases the prey to her hidden partner and allows him to make the kill. Pack groups may also favor the ambush tactics, but usually use the quick chase method instead. Quick chase is as the name describes; the pack chase down the target until it is cornered, tripped up or tackled onto the ground. This method causes more injuries than the Ambush tactics, but requires no planning beforehand. 

 

 **Subject C: Courting and Mating**  

-Courting-  
A common trait running through the entire Decepticon genus, under the subject of courting, is flashing a specific part of the body; the crest. The Decepticon crest is usually protected under a helmet or other form of headdress, and a portion of the crest is left exposed for some breeds so that there is a constant display of either authority or sexual status.   
  
 _\- A 'single', and especially un-mated, Decepticon will flash off his or her crest frequently.  
\- An interested single Decepticon will leave a portion of the crest exposed for displaying their availability.  
\- Leader Class males always have a part of their crest exposed to display threats and authority better._    
  
As for the main side of courting; this differs significantly from breed to breed. However during our studies of the breeds, we noted that the Decepticon Breed with the most displaying and complicated courtship patterns was the Seeker. Male Seekers reach sexual maturity far quicker than any other breed, reaching their peak at approximately 6 Earth Years (putting the male at 15 to 18 in Cybertronian). The juveniles bloom in color and remain in this bloom for the rest of their mature lives, with their color only fading after millions of Earth years (hundreds of Cybertronian years.) Utilizing the colors the Seeker males reel in their female partners by taking advantage of specific eye-catching displays; examples include fanning their wingspan, sticking their torso forwards or rushing the female so she can see the colors at best intensity, and that would mean up-close. This immediately puts the males in danger, as the females are of equal strength and speed to the males, so putting themselves so close is a risky move.  
  
Males who display too close, to an uninterested female, often have eyes clawed out or other injuries that can take many years to heal. Berserkers have it much worse, since females have equally poor vision to their male counterparts; so a male that tries to display up-close to a female puts himself into serious danger, as she cannot see where he is at a certain distance and enters a panic for her own safety. Berserker males were frequently butchered by females they tried courting, and accidently wandered into a blind-spot or got too close before the female felt secure enough; it's because of this issue of juveniles making careless mistakes that the population hit rock-bottom and eventually became extinct. Evidence has shown, however, that the Berserker was often displaying with sounds and actions at great distances; with a greater success of actually mating with their partners than any other breed. A single display (done at a distance) guarantees successfully continuing a lineage, whilst other breeds may have to do more complicated or frequent displays.  
The Leader Class' method of displaying is low to none-existent; with the male often intimidating females into submission and hawking them after mating to ensure she remains his 'property'. To ensure the young are his (and only his) the male will mate frequently with the same female, and will even hit her if she wanders too close to another male.  
  
-Mating-  
Much like courting; the methods and techniques used in the mating process vary from breed to breed. Below you will find a listing of methods and techniques we managed to learn from both discussion with individuals and/or through observation.  
The names and identities of individuals have been changed for confidentiality purposes.   
  
1) Leader Class males first court their partners through intimidation, luring females close enough to them to force them into submission. A Leader Class preferred mating position was from behind, granting them to trounce unsuspecting females totally unawares. Our three specimens inflicted masses of pain onto their female partners before, during and even after the mating process. If a female tries to flee the session, the male will bite down onto her back or neck, and will refuse to release her until she has taken his Solder. Leader Class males show little to no sympathy for their partners, and do not mate for 'love' or any positive emotions; they only perform the act of mating to obtain offspring and nothing more. _The Leader Class' mating season runs through all of Earths Spring month, April._  
  
2) As we were only able to observe one Berserker, without a mate, not much is known about how a Berserker mates with his or her partner. All we have for information is very old witness accounts that claim the Berserker is an aggressive, yet still caring, partner and will stop the mating process if it becomes too painful for their partner.  _The Berserker shares the same breeding season as the Leader Class, which is Earths Spring month, April._  
  
3) Seekers styles of mating are varied through each individual, with them preferring no single mating style or technique; the only trait that runs through all individuals is the tendency to bite the female if she struggles too much, and for the female to bite at the male once she is freed (for some form of revenge, I believe). 90% of Seekers choose to court and mate at night.  _The Seekers mating season runs through three of Earths Summer months, from June until August._  
  
4) The Triple Changer follows the same techniques and methods as the Seeker; little else needs mentioning about them.  _The Triple Changer shares the same breeding season as the Seeker._  
  
5) Combaticons mating rituals (yes, rituals) are very complicated; they pose not only risk of injury or failure in conception, but also risk death! Subject S was our specimen, and the Combaticon first started the ritual by bringing his partner of choice a recently killed Insecticon; this offering is a form of displaying the skills of making a kill to the female, and is followed by a staring contest between both sexes. A female that sees her partner as being somewhat worthy of continuing the ritual will stand-down from the staring contest first. Once the female has decided to continue the ritual, she will charge forwards and make false attacks along with a REAL attack attempt.  
The male must prove himself worthy of judgement to not only avoid serious injury, but also to avoid disappointing the female. The final part of the ritual is to display either dominance or submission; a female will only be willing to mate if she displays the correct form of submission, and any male that attempts to mount her before the REAL submission display are highly at risk of being killed for their eagerness. The most common mating position the Combaticon favors is from behind. When it came to the actual mating process, Subject S mounted his partner and bit down forcefully onto her back, but what we found surprising was that when compared to other breeds the Combaticon released his Solder far earlier; we monitored both physical traits and mental traits of the breed and have been able to conclude that this happens due to the very aggressive and quick mating methods.  _The Combaticons mating season runs through all of Earths winter, from November until February._  
  
6) Stunticons are the loudest of all breeds we studied, and perform a sequential display (that isn't as complicated or as dangerous as the Combaticons). Or males, Subject D and B, both attracted females through eye-contact and ensuring their vision remained in-line with one another as they moved; the female would lead the 'dance' and the male would have to follow, otherwise he would risk failure. Once the 'dance' was over, the females would transform and rev their engines, and the male would have to mimic the display, before having to brace himself for impact; the female quickly rushes forwards in alt-mode and rams into the male at full-throttle.  
After the bruising of the collision, if the male is still standing or able to move at all, then the female will accept him. Stunticons usually remain monogamous and mate for more reasons than just to obtain offspring outside of their designated season, and favor no specific mating position. A Stunticon during courting and mating is so loud that they can be heard from miles away.  _The Stunticon mating season runs through all of Earths summer month, July._  
  
7) Constructicons have a complicated mating and courting display; the males must build impressive structures to impress females, that will test and rate the structures to see which male would be capable of building suitable nests for offspring. Constructicons remain monogamous, favoring no position.  _The Constructicon mating season runs through all of Earths Spring month, March._  
  
8) Insecticon's are asexual and can reproduce without a mate, therefor nothing else needs saying about them.  _The Insections seem to spawn through all of Earths Spring and Summer months, from March until August._  
  
9) Predacon's style of courting and mating vary from sub-breed to sub-breed. Refer to the Seeker's for a rough idea on how the Predacon's court and mate.  _The Predacon' mating season varies depending on it's sub-class._  
  
10) Terracon's are brutal, and very careless, in both courting and mating. They have been known to accidently kill their partners, jump to other males or females before they even know for certain if their previous partner has conceived anything, and do not even follow the well known Decepticon Breeding seasons. Terracons will court and mate whenever they want, with whoever or whatever they want, in any position they like; they are the most unpredictable member of the Decepticon genus when it comes to reproduction, and it seems that they will always remain that way.  
  
11) Sweep's have never been known to court or mate, as so far only males have been discovered. More research needs to be done into this breed before any conclusions can be made.  
  
12) Common Decepticons/Vehicons follow a set 'season' for breeding, and only mate outside of this season for relationship purposes. They favor no specific position or courting methods, and remain monogamous.  _The Vehicon mating season runs through all of Earths Spring months, from March to May._


	3. SECTION 3: Abnormalities

SECTION 3: Abnormalities 

This section covers unique events, odd situations or just subjects we have yet to find conclusive answers to based entirely on Decepticons and their behavior. 

 

 **Subject A: Male Pregnancy**  

The subject of male pregnancy, in any creature, is baffling and has been the subject for debate in recent decades; but one Cybertronian genus displays the oddity of male pregnancy more than any other...our cousins, the Decepticons. There have been three cases of male pregnancy in the Decepticon genus within the past 5 years alone, and well over 11 over the past 8.  
What causes the male's to suddenly be able to bear offspring is not 100% clear, as each individual confirmed as male yet still lays eggs have all been different. Insecticons are the most common cases for the male pregnancy abnormality, which makes sense considering there are no female members of the breed; every Insecticon is born male, but any Insecticon can carry or lay eggs as well. Our two other reoccurring breeds to have the male pregnancy abnormality are the Seeker and the Leader Class. In the past it was confirmed that Natron (Megatron's deceased father) had no female mate, yet he still obtained offspring; it is highly likely that Natron was either a hermaphrodite or fell into the male pregnancy category. His descendant Gamatron falls into this category with the obvious signs that he became pregnant more than once, and upon physical examinations it became clear to us that Gamatron was indeed still viable to be classified as male since he did not possess a separate port to his tailpipe (that would make him a hermaphrodite). The overall cause and reasons behind the Decepticon Male Pregnancy are not clear, and further research needs to be done on the subject along with possible dissection for a physical record. 

  
  
 **Subject B: Hermaphrodites**  

Hermaphrodites are the rarest form of Cybertronian gender, with only one known Autobot Hermaphrodite known since records began. The Decepticons, however, have had two within the past decade and have had plenty more in the past. A Hermaphrodite is clearly distinguished by four key points;   
  
 **1) An odd scent of both male and female chemicals, or shifting between scents rapidly.**  
2) An odd physique of both male and female qualities, usually with one sex being more obvious than the other.  
3) An odd voice of both male and female tones and pitches, again with one sex usually being more obvious than the other.  
4) Able to both carry offspring of a male and create offspring in a female.   
  
One of the quickest and easiest ways to determine if you have a hermaphrodite on your hands is to check down below; a hermaphrodite has both a port and a tailpipe/thruster instead of a single tunnel, and also possesses the small bulge on the crotch area where the hose is hidden. Solarflare and hir 'son/daughter', Flarestar, are the only two living hermaphrodites at this time. Again, the cause or reason behind the hermaphrodite is not 100% clear. Recent research has come to make us believe that in an overly single-sex environment the chances of a hermaphrodite being born are increased to prevent a lack of breeding partners, but this is just a theory. Further research needs to be done into this subject.   
  
  
 **Subject C: Crossbreeding**    
  
I am not certain how, or why, naturally occurring crossbreeding takes place; I am only certain as to why (in the Black Market) forcing Decepticons to mate with Autobots is so highly desired. According to Thundercracker and Acidstorm; a Sparkling crossbred between Autobot and Decepticon possesses the placid nature of the Autobot merged with the seemingly limitless energy of a Decepticon.  
On the Black Market, where it is common to find both eggs and Sparklings of crossbreeding, the prices of a crossbreed are significantly low which increases their desirability as either pets or future guard-bots. However, like any form crossbreeding, the offspring also inherit darker sides to both genus; the Decepticons hot temper and the Autobots tendency to 'slack off'. Crossbred offspring also are 40% more likely to develop personality disorders or other mental impairments. Further research needs to be done into naturally occurring crossbreeding before any conclusions can be made.   
  
  
 **Subject D: Cannibalism**    
  
During my study of all the breeds of Decepticon, only one breed displayed signs of cannibalism; the Leader Class. Sixshot not only brutally murdered his offspring, but he even resorted to consuming their remains; Skorponok did the same with his young too, but Gama was the exception whereby he killed but never ate any of his offspring. When Skorponok and Sixshot fought, they both took a liking to biting off chunks of one another and consuming the parts.  
I am not certain if this cannibalism extends their 'preferred meals' to other breeds, but so far they seem to only consume their own breed. I have no conclusive evidence or logical explanation as to why this cannibalism happens, and most curious of all, why it is isolated to just the Leader Class Breed. Further research needs to be done on this subject.   
  
  
 **Subject E: Infanticide**    
  
All Decepticons are sadly guilty of this trait, but none are more guilty of it than the Leader Class. As I observed Skorponok and Sixshot raising their offspring; they both committed infanticide to their own young, some cases even had no logical explanation behind the behavior. A majority of infanticide cases arise from one of the following situations:   
  
 **1) Both parents are incapable of looking after the young anymore, and desire to end the youngsters suffering.**  
2) An injured youngster that neither parent can repair is often killed in a similar fashion.  
3) Leader Class males kill any female young they have, as it is seen as a blight on their breed and heritage.  
4) Leader Class males have been known to even kill their own male youngsters, without any logical reason.   
  
Further research is needed to better understand this matter. 


	4. SECTION 4: Breed Types

SECTION 4: Decepticon Breeds 

During my study of the few Seekers I was able to obtain, a thought occurred that baffled me throughout my research; how many breeds of Decepticon were there? What role do they play in the faction? How do they fight, display, communicate, build or destroy? Solarflare Tantalus was kind enough to answer these very questions.   
  
List of Breeds To-Date   
  
 _Alpha Male (Leader Class, VERY Rare)_  
Berserker (Presumed Extinct)  
Combaticon (Common)  
Predacon (Average)  
Terracon (Rare)  
Stunticon (Average)  
Constructicon (Average)  
Triple Changer (Also referred to as a Sub-Breed, Rare)  
Seeker (Average)  
Cassetticon (Average)  
Sweep (Common)  
Insecticon (Common)  
Standard (Also called 'Vehicons', VERY Common)   
  
Sub-Breeds include:   
 _Six-Changer (VERY Rare)_  
Super Breeder (Rare)  
Scout (Common) 

And I quote:  _"Not all Decepticon Breeds served a specific purpose in the faction; your breed meant nothing in terms of rank or how you were treated unless, of course, you were the Alpha Male."_    
  
"The Alpha Male?" I wondered. Just what was it that defined an Alpha Male in the Decepticons? Were they born that way or did they have to be shaped? Upon further discussion with Solarflare, I learnt that the Alpha Male is always born and shaped into the powerful figure one would expect of a Decepticon Leader; Solarflare called this breed of Decepticon the  _'Leader Class'_. 

 

 **The Leader Class: Summarized**    
  
A Male Leader Class, or Alpha for short, is visibly distinguished by facial markings that naturally occur on the cheeks or forehead. The most common use for these markings is to display to females rather quickly that they are the Alpha, and that they should take notice of him. Females born of this breed either perish at a young age or die before reaching sexual maturity, for various reasons that Solarflare didn't feel comfortable talking about with me.  
I was lucky to obtain two Leader Class males for studying; the clumsy big and bulky Skorponok and the aggressive brute Sixshot. According to my colleagues; Skorponok was easy to subdue with items that had a powerful aroma, whilst Sixshot needed tranquilizing for any form of cooperation.  
By placing these two Alpha males in separate chambers I was able to assess how a Leader Class interacted with other Decepticon Breeds, how they courted partners, fought off threats and how they raise their young. My findings were somewhat shocking even to myself...  
  
First on the agenda was to study how a Leader Class interacted with other Breeds; Skorponok was quick to assert himself by using noise and standing as tall as possible, making all other breeds know their place in a fairly peaceful manner. Sixshot on the other hand was totally different; he reacted by way of noise like Skorponok did, but once he caught sight of the taller breeds he went in to attack even though he was the tallest Decepticon in the chamber. My only way of understanding this behavior was to place into the chamber three Decepticon breeds he seemed to attack in the first session.  
I placed a Seeker, a Combaticon and a Triple Changer into the chamber with only the Seeker having visited Skorponok beforehand; once Sixshot entered the room, he attacked the Seeker immediately.  
  
To my conclusion; an Alpha Male dislikes other Alpha Males, or those who have been around other Alpha Males even for a few seconds. My next study was on how a Leader Class courted a partner; this was a highly risky procedure and I had to be certain that the pair would be dealt with accordingly should the females in this study be brought under any harm. I issued a female from each Decepticon breed to enter the chamber of the males, being careful not to use the same female twice as I was now aware of how sensitive an Alpha's sense of smell was. The duo at first didn't seem interested in any of the females until the Combaticons and Triple Changers entered. Skorponok utilized his size and powerful vocal processors to display how large and how loud he was, but didn't perform any forms of dance or flashing of a crest (which we noted both are heavily favored by Seekers.) Each female seemed impressed and willing enough to remain in the chamber with him. Sixshot once again turned my beliefs and ideas, of how the Alpha Breed works, totally upside-down. Once the more desired females entered the chamber he began spreading out his crest, spreading his legs apart and forcing his body and crest literally into the females face.  
To put it simply for students reading these documents; Sixshot intimidated the females with forceful displays and threats, whilst Skorponok attempted a more laid back (yet still rather impressive) display. A few months later I had the two males put into one chamber together to see what they would do; Skorponok at first seemed rather content being around Sixshot, who was busy 'marking his territory' rather forcefully, as if threatening Skorponok that the chamber was his, and that he did not wish to share it. Skorponok, as I stated, did not care about this scent marking or the threat displays Sixshot was giving him; he was completely at ease and perfectly content just sitting still and watching what Sixshot was doing. I began to feel as if Skorponok didn't feel threatened at first, but I was clearly wrong. Within ten Earth minutes of Sixshot entering the chamber all hell broke loose; Skorponok decided to get up and begin scent marking on Sixshots marks, with said Alpha not being too happy with the gesture. As soon as Skorponok left his first scent mark, Sixshot launched an attack and the two of them began lashing out at each other like savages. Sixshot won the fight only because we had to sedate Skorponok, since the giant had Sixshot in a choke-hold and could easily have broken his neck.  
  
Solarflare specified that there were four key traits to an Alpha Male's skills in combat.   
  
 **1) Excellent vision and smell.**  
2) Sheer brute strength.  
3) A roar so terrifying it temporarily freezes it's victims in a state of traumatic paralysis.  
4) A very powerful, and lethal, Bite.   
  
The Alpha is able to sniff out its foe, then roar to create an opportunity for an un-resistible attack; once the foe is terrified into shock, the Alpha uses its brute force to beat down its target with no remorse. If the foe is able to recover and attempt an escape, the Alpha needs only to land one bite onto an arm or a leg to render escape impossible. The jaw mechanism of an Alpha Male has enough force to allow him to crush through solid steel in one bite; and thick serrated fore-fangs allow its bites to sink in deep into a chassis, with the fangs causing more damage the more the victim struggles.  
Attempting to force open the jaws of a biting Alpha Male is a waste of energy and causes more damage than one might first think; relaxing or playing dead increases the chances of the Alpha Male releasing his bite, but if worst comes to worse the only solution at getting free from a bite is amputation.  
My final study of the Leader Class is heavily dependent on trust; the females I allowed the two males to court and mate with had bared offspring, and now was the time to see how an Alpha Male assisted in rearing the young. Oh, as an added note; Solarflare was quite detailed and very clear in how an Alpha Male mates with his partner. To put it bluntly the experience is the most painful form of social interaction any female Decepticon can go through.  
  
Skorponok did little to nothing whilst the Subject A was nursing his unborn eggs, and only provided reassurance to his partner that they would be safe around him. Sixshot on the other hand was vigilant and was always at his post; he never slept no matter how tired he seemed to appear, and only drank Energon when he felt he seriously needed to drink it. The female felt shut-off from the unborns due to Sixshot always being at the nest, and on some rare occasions he wouldn't even allow her to nest on the eggs. The real interesting matter here was when the eggs hatched into the hustle and bustle that is Sparklings.  
Subject B would clean and feed the young with Sixshot calmly standing by as a scout, looking out for anyone or anything that came in or out of the chamber. Subject A would do the same, but Skorponok would distance himself from the youngsters whenever he could. I can conclude that the will of the Alpha Male to protect or assist in raising the young to be purely individual, rather than anything instinctive. However, one subject came to light that Solarflare briefly warned me about; infanticide. Subject B would reluctantly avoid interacting with a Sparkling if it was crying, as Sixshot would threaten her (or sometimes even hit her) if she showed signs of comforting the crying. Subject A was able to comfort her Sparklings, at the expense of Skorponok's temper waning; he would roar at the female and the Sparklings after they had been comforted, sending them back into their crying once again.  
The female eventually learnt not to comfort the Sparklings if they began crying, without Skorponok needing to use physical force.  
And I quote:  _"The Leader does not want weak Sparklings; any he sees as weak are immediately...killed...and the female punished should she try to reinforce crying with getting positive attention. In the Males mind; crying was rewarded with ignoring or abuse, whilst remaining quiet was rewarded with no negative feedback at all. It's because of this form of rearing that so many Leader Class males grow up to be cold-hearted or socially awkward to be around."_    
  
My controlled study yielded a basis for which I could base my real investigation upon; studying Gamatron in the wilderness, with him totally unaware of my presence. Unlike my two controlled subjects, Gamatron had to raise the young by himself as his partner Shockwave had been apprehended. I noticed immediately how he was shifting from brooding his eggs to sitting at a post, much like how Sixshot and Skorponok behaved around their own nests; this makes it official that a Leader Class sits by the nest with the female to create protection.  
When it came to Gamatron raising his Sparklings, I was sadly only able to document a small amount of the time due to him quickly relocating. But what I did find out was rather interesting. Gamatron, having to play both the role of mother and father, assisted his young in hatching from their eggs and cleaned them off before feeding them (rather reluctantly, as expected of a male). He had to leave the nest to tend to his own needs, and so he had to modify his nest to better hide his offspring in. But as soon as he returned, he would lie on the nest to protect and keep the young warm.  
Gamatron is by far the most dangerous Alpha Male in my study, yet witnessing him brooding a nest made me forget that fact; around his young he looked at peace with the world around him, unlike his more restless Alpha's in the control study. However, Gamatron does not entirely escape the true nature of the Alpha Male. The remaining females in his brood were attacked by their male siblings, with two being beaten to death by their brothers (Solarflare informed me this is one reason Leader Class females never survive to adulthood.) Gamatron was also following the common trend of infanticide in the Alpha Male Breed; the surviving lone female was seen as a blight in the brood, a form of weakness and unnecessary to his future lineage. Gamatron savaged the female with his fangs, killing her quickly.   
  
  
 **The Leader Class; Conclusion.**    
  
I can safely conclude that the Alpha Male Breed, the  _Leader Class_ , is the most complicated member of the Decepticon Breed to understand. Skorponok and Sixshot did some similar interactions, but a majority of the time they behaved totally different from what I had learnt from studying Gamatron in the wilderness. A Leader Class have certain rules that they follow, and certain traits they keep hold of tightly, but a majority of the time what they say or do is purely individual with little to no instinctive drive at all. Further research into the Breed is needed, preferably from a very young age; so I will need to acquire a Leader Class Sparkling to further understand this breed through development.   
  
  
 **The Seeker: Summarized.**    
  
The next Breed I was able to study was the Seeker; thankfully there are an abundance of them available, with many willing candidates for the research. In my study, I selected three males; two would be observed in the chambers and one would be observed in their natural environment. The two controlled Seekers, Sunstorm and Skywarp, reacted the same once they entered the chambers; both wandered around the space to observe their surroundings, then they picked out a spot they liked to set up a spot to sleep (rather than going to the original sleeping space). The Seeker, according to the duos behavior, would rather sleep up high and in a dark corner. The reasons behind this, I did not know. Acidstorm provided some intel into Seeker Behavior for me in these situations.   
  
 **1) The Seeker sleeps in high and dark spaces to hide from the Alpha Males, since they are often the first target for an Alpha's violent tendencies.**  
2) The Seeker spends more time hiding than fighting because their chassis is more fragile; a Seeker can easily break a limb under a certain amount of pressure that even an ordinary Autobot could withstand.  
3) A Seeker uses hit and run tactics; they come in quick to attack before moving back to flee or try a second attack.  
4) The Seeker is the fastest breed of Decepticon, at the expense of being one of the most dependent.  
5) A Seeker is usually accompanied by a Triple-Changer or move in large groups for better protection. Acidstorm called these mass Seeker groups 'Flocks'.  
6) Seekers who live alone are usually killed within three to four months.   
  
Indeed, when I introduced Sunstorm to Sixshot for my previous Leader Class experiment, poor Sunstorm was attacked brutally by Sixshot and needed serious repair work. However I noticed the lack of resistance from Sunstorm in that situation; he could have tried to dodge or run away, but he didn't. Acidstorm once again provided intel into why this happened. And I quote;  _"The fear-paralysis a Leader Class creates from a roar is more effective against a Seeker, since our hearing is more sensitive. The roar to other Decepticons causes a minor 'blip' in movement, but to a Seeker...you really do freeze in fear."_    
This means that no matter how much Sunstorm may have wanted to flee, he was unable to do so due to the roaring. Acidstorm was kind enough to add to my information log about the Seekers key traits.   
  
 **1) Sensitive hearing.**  
2) Very good balance.  
3) Excellent vision; able to see far more colors than any other Cybertronian or mammal.  
4) Adjustable vocal processor means they can manipulate sounds, creating 'calls' only other Seekers can hear.  
5) Very fast and agile.   
  
I took sharp note of three of these traits whilst observing Skywarp in his chamber; I had Sunstorm enter the chamber on one occasion to see what would happen, and Skywarp reacted to Sunstorms presence by making a high-pitched whistling sound, followed by some rather odd chirps. Acidstorm claims the sounds are that of a positive greeting. Skywarp also seemed to like looking at Sunstorm, most likely because of his brighter colors, and he was quick to try and obtain Sunstorms attention by balancing rather awkwardly on small objects in the chamber. Sunstorm didn't seem impressed.  
Acidstorm told me that although Seekers stay in large groups, they are not afraid of friendly competition; a Flock is lead by a Lead Male and Lead Female, which are decided through the friendly competitions. These competitions usually involve displaying most if not all of the Seekers key traits.  
  
I took a sneak peek at one Lead Male whilst he was unaware of my presence; Starscream.  
He may not seem it to any other Cybertronian, but Acidstorm confirmed that in a Flock of Seekers, Starscream would be the Lead Male since he showed all of the Seekers best traits (and a little bit more, or so Acidstorm says.) Starscream, under the command of an 'inferior' Seeker Male, display challenges to his rival Thundercracker in hope of intimidating him enough to take control of the Titron faction. Acidstorm was quick to inform me that although Starscream is Flock Leading quality, he is  _NOT_  Faction-Leading quality.  
Starscream would pose himself around Thundercracker to show off his wingspan and colours, but Thundercracker just responded with sounds that, according to Acidstorm, a Seeker usually finds offensive. When pushed too far, Starscream did indeed pick a fight with Thundercracker; only for both of them to end up in the repair bay with minor injuries.  
  
Whilst I took observation of Starscream, I took the opportunity to observe my 'wilderness' specimen; Crasher. Crasher is a unique specimen thanks to his Sub-breed category of being a Super Breeder (a unit that serves to boost Decepticon population, with little other uses.) What I noticed with Crasher is that as a youth he wanted to be alone more than anything else, and wound up sustaining multiple scars from conflicts he had to resolve by himself. However, now in the present, Crasher uses his scarring as a form of display to his advantage; around lesser Seeker males he will flash off the scarring as a sign that he was experienced in fights (like a soldier displaying his medals.)  
Crasher in sexual maturity was hyperactive and highly aggressive, having been hospitalized on frequent occasions, but now as a mature adult he has calmed down and now spends less time in the repair-bay. This means that, according to Acidstorm again, the sexual maturity stage of a Seeker is the most violent period in their lives and that they grow out of it rather quickly.  
Crasher is a very short Seeker (due to his Super Breeder sub-breed) but makes up for this fact with one of his most formidable weapons; smell. The marking fluid of an Alpha Male is said to be the most powerful scent mark of any Decepticon breed, however Crasher has proven otherwise; an Alpha males scent mark can be detected ten miles away by average Cybertronians, but Crasher can be detected by that distance without even ejecting any marking fluid at all. I requested Thundercracker try to encourage Crasher to leave a scent mark somewhere, just to test if the scent is as powerful as a Leader Class', but Thundercracker declined by telling me quite clearly that it could be smelt even further away than that.  
When I observed Crasher back at his home, I took note of how he behaved around his offspring (you may remember from my previous documents on how I branded his breed of being neglectful and shameful parents.) I can clearly tell you now that my previous beliefs on the parental nature of the Seeker have been changed entirely. Crasher sat and watched his young play, acting as a scout for any threats, and constantly communicated with them through both standard Cybertronian languages and the Seekers special sound systems. I also noticed that whenever Crasher was touched by his young or embraced by his partner that he would purr. I am growing ever more curious as to how the Seekers vocal processor works and would like to research into it more in the future.   
  
  
 **The Seeker; Conclusion.**    
  
The Seeker Breed is diverse and easy to understand, as they follow a set of rules and behavior patterns that run consistently through each individual. Sound and Color are the most important things to a Seeker in determining who the Flock Leader is, who the best mate is and also helps a youngster find its parents in a large crowd. I plan on studying the Seeker in more detail in the future, but for the time being, please feel free to look back at my previous documents on the breed (ignoring that horrible drivel I wrote about their parenting skills. That has since been rightfully proven wrong.)   
  
  
 **The Berserker; Summarized.**    
  
The next subject to cover is delicate, because according to my colleagues on both Autobot and Titron Science Teams the Berserker in our hands is the  _last one_  in all existence. We could not afford to take any risks in experiments, dissection or even any clinical drugs. One specimen means one shot, and we could not make any mistakes; careful planning was in order, and frequent conferences with my colleagues occurred over the span of five months in deciding how to go about this research.  
We concluded that allowing our specimen to be observed in captivity was the best method, however this meant we could not learn how the specimen behaved in the wilderness. A fragment of my research may forever be left empty.  
  
Our specimen is Shockwave; he is the last known Berserker in all existence and developed a close bond with Gamatron. Solarflare and Acidstorm were helpful in explaining why this bond was so important. And I quote Acidstorm;  _"The Berserker was always alongside the Alpha Male as his right-hand bot."_  he began  _"Although both breeds are very similar, the major difference between the two is social skills; the Alpha Male is swimming with crafty and convincing speech skills, whilst the Berserker has nothing at all. It's because of this fact alone that no Berserker has ever lasted as a Leader; they are uncharismatic bores."_    
Solarflare continued, and I quote hir;  _"The Berserker was the only other breed that the Alpha Male could ever trust, since he needed the powerful support of the Berserker to maintain his authority and the Berserker needed the Alpha to keep protected and close to the action."_  shi continued  _"Berserkers didn't exactly crave violence or blood, but they did crave excitement. A Berserker with no thrills in its life becomes depressed, and with little social skills it was very hard talking them out of any suicidal thoughts."_    
  
According to this last statement by Solarflare; the Berserker breed did not entirely die out due to the violence of war or the fury of a tyrannous Alpha Male. Extreme boredom could even claim their lives. Because of their high intelligence, the Berserker was often falsely assigned to being in the back lines working as a scientist; many Berserkers found no thrills in these professions and quickly fell into depression. The only other Berserker besides our Specimen was shot dead once the Decepticon faction dispersed, and Black Market merchants saw a window of opportunity to hunt them down for various reasons.  
  
Now, onto my observations... Shockwave, when released into my observation chamber, remained totally blank at his surroundings; we attempted to fill the room with hidden objects to keep his sense of smell active, to prevent boredom, but he didn't seem that interested in finding each one. We set up an attack dummy into the chamber whilst he slept in hope that maybe this would spark his amusement; we were sadly mistaken. Shockwave simply sat and stared at the dummy flexing his claws, refusing to do anything else. We decided to up the stakes and tried introducing a female Decepticon to him, but he was very quick to display a disinterest in her.  
Further study revealed that Shockwave had a Spark Mate already, and did not want to 'cheat' on her with another female. Very quickly we exhausted our methods to keep Shockwave entertained; we were forced to bring something into the study that we all felt uneasy about doing. Eggs. Decepticon eggs belonging to Gamatron. Poor Gamatron had five of his eggs stolen by Black Market merchants, and because we had handled them in their rescue it meant we could not return them to him for the research purposes. However, they did have some use to us in learning who the father was.  
I managed to get Shockwave to smell an egg and he confirmed my suspicions; the eggs were his and Gamatrons! I do not know how such a unity became fruitful, but I'm just pleased with the results such a unity has brought to us. I had the eggs placed into the chamber for Shockwave to tend to, or destroy if things turned out to be worse than previously thought; he was quick however to express that he wanted to brood the eggs and not destroy them, by lying over them and cleaning them daily. This result informed us that Shockwave was more worried about the safety of his offspring than his own personal amusement; we are relieved that he is emotionally stable now that he has some of his young. Shockwaves parental instincts are by far the best of any Decepticon Breed I have ever studied. Acidstorm was helpful in pointing out the key traits of the Berserker for me to help me understand why Shockwave was such an efficient Decepticon.   
  
 **1) Keen sense of smell (equal to that of an Alpha Male.)**  
2) Minor shock-induced paralysis to a target by roaring multiple times.  
3) Highly intelligent (more so than an Alpha Male.)  
4a) Very agile and fast.  
4b) Highly articulated joints in the shoulders and hips.  
4c) Combining both 4a and 4b; Berserkers have a deadly swing and kick.   
  
The Berserker can swing their arms and legs at lightening fast speeds, creating masses of power generated by the speed of their swings; normal Cybertronians who attempted to mimic a Berserkers swinging power found that their shoulders and legs would dislocate. A Berserker is not a naturally powerful Decepticon and needs to utilize its speed to make its hits deal massive amounts of damage. Acidstorm also noted the three major dangers of a Berserker.   
  
 **1) Clawed hands and feet mean that instead of punching or kicking, a Berserker slashes and claws at its victims. Using it's quick swings, this can allow the Berserker to disembowel it's foe in just one swing (if it was fast enough).**  
2) The Berserker enters a Blood Fury after making a kill, and will instinctively seek for another kill to satisfy this fury. Entire scouting parties can be destroyed by encountering a Berserker in Blood Fury.  
3) Berserkers hold grudges and never forget a face, scent or voice; it is highly likely that if you've ever wronged a Berserker, he will not only remember you and what you did, but he may even hunt you down.   
  
An added note to the Berserker is that if he feels his mate or nest is threatened, he will return multiple times to any nearby threats to deliver brutal, if not lethal, warnings to encourage the threats to move somewhere else. Upon studying Shockwave with my colleagues, we learnt one key form of defense against his more brutal and savage nature; eye-contact. We came across this abnormal behavior one day whilst examining the damage he had finally caused to the attack dummy; we were certain he had been sedated, but Wheeljack miscalculated the proper dosage and we found ourselves in a tight situation upon his awakening. Shockwave had blocked our only exit, and was looking very uncomfortable with our presence.  
Wheeljack entered a panic which made Shockwave more anxious, and the loud noises we generated whilst trying to reason with him had little to no positive effects at all; Shockwave just became more angry and worried for the safety of his offspring, and eventually he had been pushed too far by our noise and charged. I was so terrified I could hardly move, which made sense since Shockwave was utilizing his "shock-paralysis" roars in my general direction. I locked my vision with his, and before I knew it he had frozen in mid charge as if he had been captured in solid ice. He seemed aware of what was going on around him, but he couldn't seem to take his optic off of my own no matter how much he wanted to; this gave Wheeljack the opportunity to administer the correct sedative dosage to Shockwave, rendering him unconscious and allowing us the resume our examinations.  
Whilst Shockwave was in sedation, I took the opportunity to examine his optic closely to find a reason behind the strange 'trance' he had been put under. It seemed that the more dilated his optic became and the more light he was absorbing through it, the more dazed his vision became. We decided to test how effective a Berserkers vision really was by having him try to catch moving targets or read from different distances. We can conclude by what we discovered that the Berserkers vision is...questionable. Shockwave could read only at close range, making us assume he was short-sighted, however he was able to describe an object at the exact same distance perfectly which would mean he was long-sighted. The experiment involving a moving target cleared everything up; he could track the targets movements but could not decipher when the best moment would be to catch it, this means that his depth perception is incredibly poor. I had Sunstorm perform another experiment by being my second test subject; I had Sunstorm enter Shockwaves chamber and to run around him aimlessly, to see if he had a blind-spot of any kind. I can safely inform you that the only blind-spot a Berserker has is directly behind them OR directly in front of them at a close distance.  
If you stood very close to Shockwaves face, facing him head-on, his vision blurs and you ultimately 'disappear' until either you or him move. We also learnt that the strange trance only happens when Shockwave seeks to attack; we have no conclusive evidence to explain why this happens, but we assume he enters the trance because of his poor vision.   
  
  
 **The Berserker; Conclusion**    
  
This breed of Decepticon became 'extinct' for one very obvious reason; their vision was terrible. They could not see anything too close to them, they could not read from a distance, they could even be put into a trance simply by making eye-contact. Because of their poor vision they easily walked into traps, dangerous zones and into conflicts before they could even realize what was going on around them. Shockwave had only survived this long because he became aware of this flaw in his vision, and modified his behavior to accommodate it. I look forward to researching into the Berserker more, before I lose the opportunity to do it again in the future.

 

_Please Continue onto the next chapter of the document for the following breeds: Stunticon, Combaticon, Constructicon_


	5. SECTION 4: Breed Types -Part 2-

SECTION 4: Breed Types -Part 2-  
  
  
 **The Stunticon; Summarized.**  

  
The Stunticon is one of the most intriguing Decepticons in terms of its social interactions with not just fellow Decepticons, but with Autobots as well. The Stunticon seems to welcome just about any ground vehicular mode Cybertronian into its group, be they of Autobot Genus or Decepticon Genus, no form of preference or prejudice is shown.  
There is plenty of the breed available for study, however a majority of this breed type are so well 'domesticated' that they are often used by the Titrons for very strenuous and time-consuming tasks. I was fortunate to obtain two Stunticons for my research, with the individuals being rather reluctant to cooperate; because of this lack of cooperation, and a recent interest both Stunticons have in rejoining the Decepticons, I have chosen to perform only controlled studies on them until they are returned to their Decepticon comrades.  
  
The two specimens on hand are Breakdown and Knockout; Breakdown is the youngest of the two but since taking part in the 'Rite of Passage' he has grown rather large and bulky, making him taller and more vicious than he use to be. I had originally intended to keep the two separated for this research, performing a single session of the two together, but Breakdown displayed his displeasure at being separated from Knockout. Thus I was left with no other choice than to keep the two together, until the right moment was brought up for the 'isolation' study.  
Acidstorm provided some interesting information about why this bond has formed between both Stunticons;  _"Stunticons are naturally pack Decepticons, and have an extreme disliking of being on their own; so if one placed a Stunticon into a chamber filled with nothing but Seekers the Stunticon would become stressed, but upon placing another Stunticon or a fellow ‘car type’ into the chamber they will instantly cling to them for comfort. Even if both individuals have never met before, they are still capable of forming this bond."_    
 _"Sometimes a bond becomes so powerful between the pack members that they flat out refuse to follow a Leader Class, and instead appoint one of their fellow Stunticons as the pack leader. However, just because they share this bond doesn't rule them out of inter-breed cruelty; a majority of Stunticon pack leaders are actually very cruel to their pack mates and beat them. The beatings are performed as a way of establishing a pecking order, although_ _sometimes the pack leader will just do it for no reason at all."_  
  
  
I began my studies by keeping Knockout and Breakdown in the same chamber together to see what both individuals would do, and to no surprise the first thing both specimens did was argue with one another in the Decepticon language. Acidstorm was able to translate the argument for me, stating that the argument over 'whose paint-job was the best' is very common amongst Stunticons. It was no real surprise since they are, according to my studies, the vainest member of the Decepticon Genus.  
  
After establishing that Knockout was the most 'impressive' Stunticon in the chamber, he didn't hesitate to take advantage of the position and began asserting his authority over Breakdown, thereby making him the pack leader. Breakdown was not totally convinced that Knockout was worthy of taking the role, and began flashing threatening displays with his body and crest, to which Knockout happily returned similar displays. Ultimately this threat display continued for a few cycles, until Breakdown submitted to Knockout's more aggressive displays thanks to being a seasoned adult, compared to Breakdown whom was still young and had little experience.  
Once both individuals seemed content that Knockout was in charge they began grooming one another, trying to remove even the smallest specs of dirt from their chassis.  
Acidstorm clearly pointed out a few qualities the Stunticon possessed. 

 **1) Very sensitive hearing.**  
2) Very good balance.  
3) Excellent vision; able to see far more colors than the average Cybertronian.  
4) Acute attention to detail; can see things most Cybertronians might fail to notice.  
5) Fastest, and most hardy, ground-based Decepticon.   
  
A Stunticon is relatively harmless on its own, but once they form pairs (or sometimes, a whole pack) the level of speed and power accumulated from each individual makes them a very dangerous adversary. Because their vision is attuned to work with their insane speed levels, it is near impossible to rid a Stunticon of its focus in pursuits. The only chance of an individual surviving an attack by multiple pursuing Stunticons is to drop a flare to blind them with.  
Acidstorm also noted the three major strengths Stunticons tend to have, in both hunting and everyday activities.   
  
 **1) Stunticons are the fastest land-based Decepticon and have near limitless stamina; they will pursue a target until said target is caught, tripped up, or collapses from exhaustion.**  
2) Stunticons hyper-focus on every activity they take part in, due to both the paranoid nature of the breed itself and the need to concentrate when moving at high speeds, which is why they very rarely break or fail at a chase.  
3) Whilst most Stunticons like to look after their image, they also have very tough chassis and can withstand very powerful collisions; Stunticons in a chase will try to ram/bash at their target to cause them to crash or trip up, with very little penalty to the Stunticon.  
  
These qualities surfaced on a regular basis during my observations of Knockout and Breakdown; I utilised a very large and open chamber for them to speed around in their vehicular modes, without having to worry about tight corners or having to slow down, for both the isolation study and the group study.  
Whilst Knockout displayed his speed and agility in the open space, Breakdown was more focused on trying to ram him or cause him to lose control during their chases. I decided to up the stakes and introduced a Vehicon into the chamber with them, just to see what they would do, and to my surprise the Vehicon joined them in racing around the chamber acting as if he was a member of the pack. I decided to try adding a few other Vehicons of various genders and sizes and got the same result, but once I added a Combaticon to the group things didn’t go so well; the Combaticon, not being fast at all, was ‘slowing down’ the Vehicons and Stunticons to the point where a traffic-jam had formed. Knockout, assuming the role of Pack Leader and not at all happy to be slowed down, rallied the entire pack and ganged up on the Combaticon until it left the chamber.  
I had exhausted the Vehicons use in the group study and now believed it was time to try it with Autobots. Upon placing Bumblebee into the chamber with the two Stunticons, he was first ‘examined’ from a distance with the two Stunticons talking to one another in Decepticon about him, before he was gestured as being ‘welcomed’ to be with them. Although Bumblebee was permitted to be around them, the two Stunticons couldn’t resist their natural instincts in trying to ram Bumblebee from the road or from his feet. Though whether the Stunticons were just engaging in ‘rough play’ with Bumblebee like they do fellow Stunticons, or if they were trying to intimidate him, is not clear.  
  
After making the needed observations in the group study, it was time for isolation; upon separating Breakdown and Knockout I immediately saw a change in how they behaved.  
  
Breakdown began smashing at walls in a fit of rage, with both his fists and later his entire body, even going as far as savaging the attack dummy inside his chamber until it was broken to pieces.  
Knockout, on the other hand, sat in a corner and didn’t move an inch.  
I decided to try and see how both Stunticons went about displaying to partners, but Breakdown was entirely uninterested and ignored the females. Knockout, once again, displayed quite the opposite to what Breakdown was going through; Knockout was quite happy to flash off his crest to the females and undergo the usual Stunticon ‘mating ritual’ _(see SECTION 2: Advanced Behaviour)_ with them. However, even when the females were interested in entering the mating stage with him, Knockout didn’t display any interest in continuing; once his displays had impressed the females he just stopped. I was not entirely sure why this happened until I was able to sit down with a one-to-one chat with Knockout after the experiment was over, where he explained to me that his secondary classification was as a Breeding Unit and that according to his instinctive circuits it was not the correct time of year for breeding.  
It seems that if I wish to witness Stunticon breeding and nurturing behaviour I will need to perform this study again at the correct time of year, since Stunticons will only mate outside of their breeding season with someone they have intimate feelings for. Knockout also made it quite clear that he would not be performing such behaviour with his intimate partner, since neither of them could produce Sparklings with each other as they were both male.  
Breakdown refused to speak to me one-to-one, and continued with his aggressive displays and gestures in isolation until he was reunited with Knockout, whereby they happily resumed speeding around making loud noises.  
  
  
 **The Stunticon; Conclusion**    
  
This breed of Decepticon is the least hostile towards Autobots and other Decepticon breeds, most likely because they are pack-orientated and are accepting of any new pack members providing they do not ‘slow down’ the traffic. However, when isolated they are near entirely unapproachable; they respond with either violence (Breakdown), complete disinterest (Breakdown) or sometimes paranoia (Knockout).  
While they may be approachable, it is strongly encouraged for all Autobots to be cautious; Stunticons are pack hunters and use many different methods in catching their prey, including the false image of being ‘friendly’. They truly do live up to their Genus’ name of ‘Decepticons’.

  
  
 **The Combaticon; Summarized.**  

  
The Combaticon is a real enigma of the Decepticon Genus; certain individuals who appear to resemble the traits of say, a Seeker, are actually capable of being listed as Combaticons.  
I decided to use three individuals in my study of the Combaticon, with two being a ‘hybrid’ or also known as a ‘crossbreed’ of the Combaticon and another Decepticon breed.  
  
I utilised Blastoff, Swindle and Brawl for my basic Combaticon specimens; with Vortex being a rather unique variation of the breed I was hoping to study him as well, but he was sadly unavailable at the last minute.  
The first topic of discussion on the Combaticon was the high rate of crossbreeding that is established. Solarflare was on-hand to assist me with understanding why the Combaticon has this strange habit, along with many other things.  
And I quote hir;  _"Combaticons are the most hardy of the Decepticons, packing quite a punch as well as being able to take one."_    
 _"Pure-bred Combaticons are slow, it’s always been a flaw in their nature, but by being slow they are able to protect themselves with thicker hides and more firepower. So how do you adapt your breed to survive the course of environmental change; a world that requires speed and dexterity, over the old routine of slowly stalking and hoping to surprise your prey? You evolve, that’s what. And no breed of Decepticon has evolved quite so much as the Combaticon; a few individuals still possess the old robonetic traits of their ancestors, such as Brawl, but if you look at the majority of them they have been bred to adapt to this new ‘fast moving’ culture."_  
 _“In the past, Combaticons were all ground-based assault-class Decepticons…but by crossbreeding with Seekers, some became airborne and were able to move faster. And over the course of the past few generations, we have seen a natural rise in Combaticons crossbred with Seekers and Stunticons, which in turn helps the breed evolve its speed to match those of the breeds they are crossbred with.”_  
  
  
My studies proved far more simple to document and understand after all that information as, according to Solarflare, both Blastoff and Swindle are crossbred Combaticons and will display traits from both breeds they belong to.  
I kept all three specimens within separate chambers, each with an attack dummy to practice fighting with and space to move quickly within. Blastoff was placed within the old Seeker chamber to allow him to fly around, though he didn’t seem to make use of the space much.  
Brawl destroyed his attack dummy within the first five minutes of being placed in the chamber, and began attacking the walls once he was finished with it. As for Swindle, he spent most of his time writing in Decepticon on the walls (which we later translated to reveal as a message, that he could have sold us better facilities. I should have known better.)  
Blastoff attacked his practice target from the air without touching the ground, exhibiting the Seeker qualities he inherited from one of his parents, whilst also displaying that he was a force to be reckoned with as he made short work of the attack dummy rather quickly.  
Solarflare tried to narrow down the traits of a Combaticon that is pure-bred, since the crossbreeding between Combaticons and other breeds can significantly alter their traits and qualities. 

 **1) Highly acute senses.**  
2) Good balance.  
3) Sturdy, capable of taking damage and withstanding injuries most Cybertronians would find fatal.  
4) Powerful firepower and hand-to-hand combat.   
  
Combaticons as a whole are very brutal fighters, and work in pack units similar to Stunticons and Constructicons. However, the Combaticon is perfectly capable of going solo and is still a danger to those who happen to encounter them.  
A pack of Combaticons, pure-bred, are easy to outrun but impossible to outgun. If a group of pure-bred Combaticons is able to get hold of you with hostility in their thoughts you are not likely going to walk away from the confrontation, but the new crossbreeding factor has made the Combaticon far more dangerous than previously, due to the fact that speed is now on their side as well.  
Whilst you may be able to outrun a pure-bred Combaticon, if s/he is hunting you in a pack then the Seeker or Stunticon crossbreeds within the pack will be able to catch up to you and will attempt to slow you down for the pure-bred to catch up to make the kill.  
All three Combaticons under observation displayed these cooperative skills when they were united in the same chamber; Brawl assumed the role of pack leader due to being a pure-bred Combaticon, and left Blastoff and Swindle to deal with any annoyances that were too fast for him to deal with by himself.  
  
Solarflare, whilst trying to keep the information on crossbred individuals at a minimum, attempted to explain how and why the Combaticons are the most effective as a ‘combiner’ unit over other pack-orientated Decepticons.  
 _“Whilst Stunticons and Constructicons all are capable of forming a bond to create a pack with, they have very little need to utilise the pack as a ‘combiner’ unit due to their existing skills being useful enough. A combiner unit is only any good at causing mass destruction or aiding in building large structures, and the only breed that enjoys carnage en-mass is the Combaticon. Combaticon packs in combined form can face off any adversary, including fellow combined packs of other breeds, which makes them formidable against dweller worms or other large threats…since the Combaticons prefer living in these harsh areas that the large threats occupy, they have a need for the combiner unit and its benefits.”_  
 _“Stunticons can outrun almost anyone, Constructicons don’t need to attack others unless provoked, so why should they use the combiner ability? They simply have no real natural use for it anymore now that the war is over, they would rather stick to working as a pack instead of combining into a hulking brute, so the Combaticon is the only Decepticon breed that still uses the ability.”_  
  
Whilst the thoughts of any combiner unit is terrifying to Autobots and Titrons alike, the idea of a Combaticon pack forming the unit is more worrying. As Solarflare pointed out, the Combaticons enjoy carnage and the next ‘big fight’, with the lust for violence being slightly altered within crossbred individuals.  
Blastoff, being part Seeker, enjoyed using violence as a means of **display.** Utilising almost anything ‘flashy’ as a means of displaying to a potential partner is a Seeker trait, and the manner in which Blastoff performs his ‘kills’ are indeed very ‘flashy’. Swindle, a crossbred Stunticon, also displayed signs of wanting to drive around in his vehicular mode at very fast speeds, without worrying about his chassis getting damaged much, but also showed a very vain attitude towards his self image; these are both Stunticon traits.  
Brawl on the other hand just wanted to destroy everything in sight, as is the typical nature of a pure-bred Combaticon.  
  
Because this research was performed in the late Earth Summer months, I was not able to perform any study into mating or nurturing behaviour as the Combaticon is strictly seasoned to mate in Earths Winter months. I will need to perform this research again at a later date.  
  
  
 **The Combaticon; Conclusion**    
  
Combaticons are vicious, cunning and highly dangerous. It is a shock to see how well they have adjusted to ‘civilised’ and ‘domesticated’ life, though with this new-found nature of the Combaticon to constantly seek evolution to adapt to a situation should explain why this adjustment is made possible.  
However, unless the Combaticon is given stimuli to use its brute strength (or other cross-bred traits) they quite easily become stressed and resort to violence towards both friend and foe.  
  


 **The Constructicon; Summarized.**  

  
The Constructicon is quite possibly the most civilised member of the Decepticon Genus, possessing very little interest in violence and have a high desire to do as their name suggests; construct things.  
  
For my studies I was presented Scrapper and Bonecrusher; Scrapper was confirmed as the pack leader for the largest Constructicon group on Cybertron, and would need to be returned there after a short period of time studying him. Bonecrusher on the other hand, was listed as an omega of the pack and could be monitored for far longer.  
  
I inquired Solarflare on the subject of Constructicons and the reason for why they appear so civilised, and why (unlike other members of their Genus) they display a strong disliking for being branded as a member of an ‘uncivilised’ species.  
And I quote hir;  _"_ _Constructicon _s have always had a history of craftsmanship and skill in the creative arts; a lot of modern Cybertron was actually built by Constructicons working cooperatively with Technobots, and the work is so well constructed that almost all of those buildings are still in one piece."__    
 _"As for the disliking of being ‘branded primitive’, that is because of the close relation they have with a highly uncivilised breed of Decepticon; the Combaticon. If we look closely at the Cyberbiology Tree at the Decepticon Genus, both the Constructicon and the Combaticon share the same ancestor. So perhaps, in a few millennia, the Combaticon will change into something resembling the Constructicon."_  
 _“Constructicons are not too keen on violence since they would rather use their time and energy to build things with, and try to be more approachable for other breeds and those of the Autobots Genus, but because of the social stigma that they are like their Combaticon cousins they rarely get to display how civilised they truly are.”_  
  
  
The study of Scrapper proved conclusive in supporting this theory that Constructicons do not get along with Combaticons at all; in his isolation and group study, both Scrapper and Bonecrusher were actively hostile towards any Combaticons I placed into the chamber. However, when any other breed (even those that share the same ancestor as the Combaticon) were placed in the chamber with the Constructicons, there was no signs of hostility.  
I ensured that both specimens had materials to construct anything they pleased with, along with an attack dummy just out of curiosity; both Scrapper and Bonecrusher dismantled the dummy and used its parts to aid in their construction work, and even resorted to damaging the chamber walls to salvage more materials. Bonecrusher seemed to dislike his construction constantly, as he was remodelling it frequently or knocking it down to start something new; Scrapper on the other hand was very proud of what he’d built and refused to do any further work on it.  
I decided to place the Constructicons into their opposite partners chamber, to see what they did to their work, and oddly neither specimen altered the constructions and spent their entire time inspecting them instead.  
Solarflare put together a small list of the Constructicons key traits, which explains why they earned their name. 

 **1) Very high attention to detail; able to see things most Cybertronians would fail to notice.**  
2) Highly creative; capable of making anything out of almost nothing.  
3) Intelligent.  
4) Very effective social skills make them the most cooperative ‘pack’ Decepticon.   
  
Constructicons are highly social with not just their own breed, but also their Autobot cousins the Technobots; upon studying both Genus breeds independently I have come to the conclusion that, much like the Leader Class and Stunticon, Constructicons share almost identical qualities to their Autobot counterparts which in turn results in this high rate of inter-genus cooperation.  
While not the vicious type of pack Decepticon, Constructicons still gather in large groups for ‘safety in numbers’ and all the extra hands prove very useful in building large structures. The original purpose of the pack was to form the combiner-variation of Constructicon, so as to ward off and fight Combaticons and Dweller Worms. Once the breed obtained civilised mannerisms, the combiner-unit tactic was discarded (until the Great War surfaced, whereby it was heavily abused) unless deemed absolutely necessary.  
If you happen to be wandering the Decepticon-controlled wilderness of Cybertron, and stumble across a pack of Constructicons, do not shoot them or threaten them in any way; Constructicons are by nature none-aggressive and dislike using their time and energy on anything except construction/demolition work. However, as friendly as they may be, do not offer a Constructicon any help or Energon as they are still very prideful and deem ‘offerings’ as a way to brand them as weak. Only Technobots, and on rare occasions Triple Changers, should offer to help Constructicons in their work.  
  
 **1) Constructicons prefer to scavenge than hunt, making them the least likely Decepticon pack to attack Autobots.**  
2) A majority of Constructicons destroy their own buildings on purpose in order to have an excuse to improve them.  
3) Whilst most Constructicons tend to argue with one another (as a result of conflicting ‘creative’ planning strategies), they are actually the most civilised of all Decepticon breeds and actually welcome input from other creatures.  
  
Solarflare explained how and why the Constructicons no longer take advantage of the ‘combiner’ unit, unlike other pack-orientated Decepticons.  
 _“Constructicons are not aggressive like their Combaticon cousins, and have no real need for the combiner unit since it is seen as a tool for destruction rather than construction. However, there are times where the combiner unit may be used, such as fitting an item to a very tall structure that no normal Constructicon can reach. However, this is now a rarity since Constructicons have recently evolved to possess crane units to lift items up high.”  
“Also, taking into account how Constructicons wish to appear more civilised, they see no use for the combiner unit anymore since it is actually a very primitive method of self defence. And with how often the Combaticons use their combiner unit, and the Constructicons disliking the Combaticons, there is yet another reason for why they no longer make use of the method.”_  
  
Unfortunately by this time in my research, Scrapper was returned to Cybertron to regain control of his pack of Constructicons, leaving Bonecrusher as my only specimen for the mating and nurturing side to my experiment.  
Bonecrusher began building with more desperation than previously when the Constructicon breeding season started, and was once again demolishing his builds as he deemed them ‘not good enough’ to impress a mate with. I had a few female Constructicons on hand to assess his techniques and deliver their verdict to me without even entering the chamber, and they all clearly said Bonecrusher’s work was far more impressive than he was allowing himself to believe. When I asked the females if they would have accepted him as a partner, they stated that although his builds were very impressive, his lack of self-esteem was not a quality they would want in a mate, as it was highly likely that quality would pass on to their offspring.  
So unfortunately once again, I was incapable of performing a study into mating and nurturing behaviour in the Constructicon. However, the results on how females choose their mates and why was made very clear to me.  
  
  
 **The** **Constructicon** **; Conclusion**    
  
Constructicons are the most friendly and socially-positive Decepticon breed I have every encountered; they work well with all other breeds, including those of Autobot genus, except the Combaticon. They also strive to continue improving not only their own work, but also themselves as a breed, and this keenness to evolve has helped this rather old Decepticon species to survive over the many dangerous hurdles of past generations.  
Perhaps in the near future Constructicons will occupy the same status as Autobots, and will never have to live outside of a civilised culture again.  
  
  
 _Please continue onto the next chapter for the following breeds; Casseticon, Vehicon, Triple Changer_


	6. SECTION 4: Breed Types -Part 3-

**The Casseticon; Summarized.**  

  
Our next specimen, the elusive Casseticon, is one of those strange variations of the Decepticon Genus that are not so easy to come by but are also not considered ‘rare’ enough to be listed as ‘endangered’.  
Casseticons also can take various forms, from being a large bipedal Cybertronian all the way to being listed as Predacons.  
The categorising of the Casseticon is still under heavy debate, such as calculating if the breed is actually just a ‘mutation’ of one of the other members from the Menasorus family instead of being listed as a separate breed.  
  
So not only was it my duty to observe and document the Casseticon’s behaviour, but I was also tasked with providing evidence to prove or disprove the theory that the Casseticon is just a mutation and not unique. I was fortunate to obtain all four of Soundwaves minors, whilst also being granted a moment to speak one-to-one with Soundwave about the topic of his breeds categorisation.  
  
So the first question I asked him was why there is such a large inconsistency within the Casseticon breed, such as two of his minors being Predacon-like whilst the other two were not;  _"_ _It’s just like with the Combaticons; certain members of the Predacons saw an opportunity for crossbreeding with the Casseticon, to increase chances of survival. Because there is one trait that my breed are very well known for, and I am quite sure this applies to Blaster as well in the Autobot Genus; we are perfectly capable, if not ‘happy’ to foster young that do not belong to us providing they have the right alt-modes to be protected by us. _"__    
  
Soundwave then moved on to specify why taking the form of a small object, such as a disc or cassette, was essential for young Casseticon’s to survive _"As embarrassing as it is to say, we behave a lot like the Earthanoid Marsupial. Every Casseticon has a large ‘pouch’ like compartment in the chest to keep the youngsters inside, for protection. After so many years, or centuries, of development the youngsters are no longer able to remain in their smaller modes, and are forced to survive outside the pouch."_  
 _“That is where the Predacon hybrids come in; they don’t get any bigger to negate the use of their transformations, so they could be ‘protected’ by the adults for their entire lives. I instinctively knew Ravage and Lazerbeak were hybrids and that unlike Frenzy and Rumble they would never grow large enough to become independent, but the instinctive drive I had to look after them as if they were my own Sparklings was impossible to overcome...until I got Sparklings of my own, obviously.”_  
  
I then inquired as to why all three of Soundwaves Sparklings did not turn into either a ‘host’Casseticon (like him) or an aircraft (like their mother); _“I am sure this is where the myth of Casseticons actually being ‘mutations’ started; it is very true that some Casseticon offspring never adopt the smaller modes needed to fit inside an adults pouch, and are born as vehicles like Stunticons. I honestly have no idea why it happens, because those ‘car’ Sparklings are just as vulnerable and in need of protection as the other types of Casseticon.”_  
  
Soundwave was rather useful throughout my study of his minors, whom he ‘adopted’ and played the role as their father figure until he obtained young of his own Robonetics.  
I asked why he was so quick to leave Frenzy and Rumble to fend for themselves; _“Ravage and Lazerbeak you can understand, since they are actually fully-grown Predacon hybrids that happened to have the bonus of being protected by a larger Cybertronian…but I can see why questions would be raised about Frenzy and Rumble.”_  
 _“They had started to grow jealous of my attention being diverted away from them onto my SparkMate, and they attempted to sever the bond I was forming with said SparkMate, until the time came where I managed to obtain Sparklings from the union. They stopped listening to me, refusing to even occupy my pouch, and that was when I made my decision to let them go; they’re old enough to fend for themselves now anyway, it just might be harder for them now that I’m not there to carry them around.”_  
  
I observed Frenzy and Rumble together in their shared chamber, and found that they were actively hostile towards anyone I put in there with them except Ravage and Lazerbeak. Even the likes of Skywarp and a random Vehicon were not safe from the wrath of the two Casseticon twins.  
I requested Soundwave to enter the chamber, and even he found himself being verbally assaulted by the twins out of spite. Upon his return, Soundwave advised I let the two go and observe another pair instead, as the twins were highly stressed and would not be willing to cooperate at all.  
Upon releasing Frenzy and Rumble back on Cybertron, to await the formation of the young Decepticon Tribe I am establishing there, Soundwave suggested I take advantage of one of his sons for the study instead as they would be far more cooperative.  
We both agreed that Alpha, the thinker of the pair, would be the most suitable choice. Another question came up from my observations that I couldn’t help but ask Soundwave; why are so many Casseticon’s born as twins? Even he didn’t know why such a thing happened, and couldn’t give me an answer.  
He did, however, provide a few details on his breeds’ traits and qualities which helped confirm my beliefs that the Casseticon is indeed a separate breed of Decepticon and is not just a ‘mutation’. 

 **1) Super sensitive hearing; can hear almost anything, anywhere and at any time.**  
2) Highly intelligent, though easily distracted.  
3) Sturdy, capable of delivering powerful hits as well as withstanding them.  
4) Very effective communication skills, learns languages the fastest.   
  
Whilst Alpha displayed all of these traits, along with his father Soundwave, I couldn’t help but take notice of how Alpha took advantage of his car mode to speed around; this quality is often found in Vehicons and Stunticons, which just raised the question of the breeds’ uniqueness even more.  
However, when in his normal mode, he did display that he had a pouch (much like all mature Casseticons) and was more than happy to use it to store items in. The Casseticon is the only known breed of the Decepticon Genus to have a pouch like this, excluding the obvious ‘storage compartments’ every single Cybertronian has; the Casseticon pouch is massive and is capable of fitting four Sparklings to Minors inside, providing they transform into a small alt-mode to fit inside.  
  
 **1) Casseticons are the only Decepticons with pouches, and will foster offspring in them even if they are not the same breed.**  
2) Most Casseticons are solitary, and dislike being in large groups.  
3) There have been no cases of infanticide within the Casseticon breed. Ever.  
4) Siblings from the same parent will very rarely separate, and will form small family groups to survive.  
  
  
 **The** **Casseticon** **; Conclusion**    
  
I studied Alpha on his own for quite some time and came to the conclusion that the Casseticon is indeed a separate breed of Decepticon, and that those born with Stunticon or Vehicon traits are mutations as a result of crossbreeding. I wanted to study him and Soundwave in more detail, but certain issues rose on Cybertron involving the theft of a certain item, whereby Alpha was very quick to turn hostile and make an escape thereby leaving my research with a few holes.  
I plan on returning to the study of the Casseticon at a later date, when things calm down.  
  
  
  
 **The Vehicon; Summarized.**

  
Vehicons are the most common of all the Decepticon breeds, due to their high mortality rate demanding frequent breeding and the massive production of offspring each female makes.  
A majority of Super Breeders within the Decepticons are Vehicons, to ensure the breed remains highly populated and strong with fresh RNA and CNA.  
The Vehicon is also well known for breeding with Stunticons, but due to the nature of both of these breeds the act of breeding together is not listed as crossbreeding; in fact, there are very little differences between the Vehicon and the Stunticon, with the exception that Vehicons have night-vision and don’t seem to care about their appearance.  
Vehicons are also pack hunters, but they never follow a fellow Vehicon as the pack leader and they never take advantage of the combiner-unit possibilities this pack structure usually contains; the breed typically follow an alpha Stunticon or a Leader Class, and on very rare occasions they will even follow orders from Combaticons.  
  
Acidstorm was on hand to provide some information on the Vehicons pack instincts;  _"_ _When you have such a high death rate, breeding frequently and nursing a lot of youngsters, you need to bring in a lot of metals and Energon to feed all those hungry mouths. Working as a pack allows all those resources to be hunted, harvested and scavenged with very little penalty. _"__    
 _"The average cause of death to a Vehicon is by either hunting a target that is bigger than the Vehicon, or by Autobots and Titrons shooting them; Vehicons are by no means friendly and will not hesitate to attack members of both Autobot and Decepticon Genus unless they are automobiles or if the pack leader says otherwise. As for the hunting larger prey, well…there are so many Vehicons attacking a single target that when the prey is eventually brought down at least one Vehicon is certain to get crushed to death, and then there’s the chances of being impaled by prey with large horns or spikes…"_  
I had studied Vehicons alongside other breeds of Decepticon and found this to indeed be truthful; unless the opposing breed in the same chamber was an automobile, or a VERY dominating individual, then the Vehicons would attack them without pause.  
Vehicons lead by Knockout in my Stunticon observations did not attack the Combaticon until Knockout told them to, however when on their own they didn’t hesitate to attack the lone Combaticon.  
  
Vehicons left within a chamber with Scorponok (also known as Zarak) found themselves fiercely dominated by the Leader Class, and those who even slightly failed to meet Scorponok’s interests were quickly killed. However, thanks to this near insane breeding frenzy the Vehicon has, whilst Scorponok was killing the Vehicons in his chamber there would be hundreds more being born elsewhere.  
Another thing I noticed throughout my entire study with Vehicons involved, is the lack of emotion they seem to have. Each Vehicon looks slightly different to the others (unlike the Sweeps) and while they do seem to mate for more reasons than simply offspring, I witnessed no significant emotional bonding between any of them unless they were SparkMates.  
Amongst the hordes of Vehicons I studied, I managed to obtain a few qualities worthy of documenting for their own records.

 **1) Capable of night-vision, and also primarily nocturnal, makes the Vehicon a night- time hunter.**  
2) Massive breeding frenzies maintain the Vehicon population.  
3) Very fast and agile, like their Stunticon brothers and sisters.  
  
Believe it or not, I did manage to find several features and behaviours that qualify the Vehicon for their own independent breed title, instead of sharing the Stunticons.  
  
 **1) No empathy at all. Vehicons will even stand by and watch whilst a predator kills a member of their own ‘family’ without emotional reactions of any kind.**  
2) The only hint of emotion detected is during mating between monogamous partners.  
3) Vehicons favour Stunticons as SparkMates over fellow Vehicons; there is no known reason behind this.  
4) Vehicons will only ever flee from another Cybertronian if they are an apex-predator, or are too big to bring down as a pack (such as Combaticon Combiners).  
  
Because the Vehicon is so generic, and is used alongside my other studies, there really isn’t that much I can add to their section of my study book.  
  
  
 **The** **Vehicon** **; Conclusion**    
  
Vehicons are unemotional, ruthless and highly productive pack units with a prejudice towards non-automotive Cybertronians. Autobots of any breed are not safe around them, so it is strongly advised to any Autobots travelling Cybertrons wilderness or Underground to exercise extreme caution.  
  
  
  
 **The Triple Changer; Summarized.**  

  
Triple Changers are a very rare species on both the Autobot and Decepticon Genus trees; there are only a few hundred left in the Decepticons, whilst the Autobot variety is even lower in numbers.  
Previously the Triple Changer was listed as a sub-class of the Cybertronian Species rather than its own unique breed, but recent research and observation of the Triple Changer (accompanied by ancient findings) has shown us that the Triple Changer is actually a relative of the Seeker and is not a sub-species or mutation.  
  
I was unable to study any Triple Changers for my research as Octane had fled to Cybertrons Decepticon Tribe for protection, Astrotrain was busy working as a bodyguard, Solarflare as usual was busy with other research and Blitzwing was in charge of the EDC Space patrol unit. Perhaps one day I will be able to get a Triple Changer for my research, but right now I cannot.  
  
Acidstorm and Thundercracker were my only sources of information on the Decepticon Triple Changer, with Thundercracker providing direct observation information for me and Acidstorm dealt with medical details he could provide for me.  
Thundercracker began by explaining to me the typical mannerisms the Triple Changer displayed, that made them so different to the Seekers and Combaticons;  _"_ _Seekers are fliers, Combaticons are slow land types, but then the Triple Changer possesses both qualities of these two breeds. _"__    
 _"Astrotrain is capable of flight but by no means is he fast or agile; instead of obtaining the benefits of flight like the Seeker, he instead has the hardiness of a Combaticon."  
_ Acidstorm kindly added to Thundercrackers information on Astrotrain, by explaining why his ‘train mode’ is actually listed as a Combaticon-like mode instead of one of its own; _“Astrotrains train mode is not fast like the Trainbots, and he is the only member of the Decepticon genus who uses a train mode. With no visible Autobot RNA or CNA in his coding, we can only assume his train mode is actually a mutation of the Combaticon-side to his Robonetics.”_  
 _“Then you have the likes of Blitzwing; he is a genuine example of a Triple Changer since he not only has an agile air-mode, but he also has that hard-hitting tank mode to go with it. From studying the RNA samples from each Triple Changer, I can safely say that Blitzwing is a pure-bred with no traces of any other breeds coding tainting it. Octane is not even a full-bred Triple Changer, since half of his code is actually Stunticon.”_  
  
The subject of ‘crossbred’ Triple Changers is by far the most confusing subject anyone has ever attempted to research into; the historical logs on the Triple Changers clearly states they have both an aerial mode and a ground mode of combat origin, but then how do we explain the Triple Changers with trucks as their ground mode? Or Helicopters as their aerial mode? The only answer possible at present, is just saying they are ‘crossbreeds’.  
But then you get individuals such as Solarflare and Astrotrain; both of them are pure-bred Triple Changers but exhibit strange ‘ground’ modes…or in Solarflares case, no ground mode at all. Both of Solarflares vehicular forms are aerial.  
  
Acidstorm was very handy in shedding light on this particular subject; _“Solarflare is unique anyway because shi is also a Super Breeder, and because we know that Breeding Units are non-combative it makes perfect sense for hir to not have a ground mode at all, since flying would be far more beneficial to hir.”_  
 _“As for Astrotrain, again, he’s an odd case. It is highly likely that somewhere in his family history, one of his great ancestors may have crossbred with a Trainbot, but studying his RNA did not reveal this so it is all just assumption.”_  
So the sub-class, or sub-breed, can have an effect on the Triple Changers vehicular modes it seems. And, due to the nature of cross-breeding and the strange hybrid nature of the Triple Changer, I am unable to deliver a solid and conclusive list of their key traits.  
I was, however, able to compile a small list of features the Triple Changers all shared in how they behaved.  
  
 **1) Triple Changers usually favour one of their modes over the other, though this is purely a personal decision rather than instinctive.**  
2) The Seekers are the only breed of Decepticon that seem to bond effectively with Triple Changers.  
3) On rare occasions, a Leader Class may be born with qualities similar to a Triple Changer; however, these ‘Super Cybertronians’ are called ‘Six-Changers’ and are not related to at all to the Triple Changers.  
4) Whilst they may appear intimidating, most Triple Changers are actually very cooperative and friendly, but they do have very fierce rivalries and are still worthy of respect.  
5) Triple Changers are not picky with choosing their partners; they will court and mate with any breed they want, both in-season and out of it.  
6) The Triple Changer has an astounding memory, and they never forget a name or face.  
7) Whilst they prefer to live and work alone away from other Triple Changer, they will still be found in large groups of other Decepticon breeds.  
8) In many Decepticon packs, if no Leader Class or dominant member of the pack breed is present, a Triple Changer will be in charge.  
9) Triple Changers enjoy combat, like Combaticons, but they also seem to enjoy times of peace and only attack others if they are provoked or feel threatened.  
  
Thundercracker provided a bit more information on what he witnessed Triple Changers doing under his watch, before he had to depart on an errand elsewhere; _“I often found Astrotrain and Blitzwing to be very hard workers, refusing to stop for rest unless I ordered them to. Octane on the other hand was lazy, rude and selfish…just like his Stunticon mother.  
“Solarflare always works hard, but shi is also a Breeding Unit which means shi is liable to demanding interfacing with Starscream at very inappropriate times. But as a Triple Changer, I have noticed the pure-breeds are indeed very hard workers with little drawbacks; the crossbred individuals seem to inherit the negative traits instead of the good ones…like Octane did.”  
“If Octane wasn’t sleeping or drinking excessively, or polishing himself with ludicrous amounts of wax, or fraging off, he would be harassing others about how underappreciated he is. All of those traits are from his Stunticon-side, and they are all horrible. I’m not going to jump to any conclusions or anything, but from my own experiences with Triple Changers I can clearly tell you that all the crossbreeds I’ve met are jerks.”  
_  
Sadly Thundercracker had to depart before giving me any further information, and so I found myself having to rely on Acidstorm for any more. He too had to depart unexpectedly, but before he did leave he informed me of one meeting the Titron Council held which clearly displayed how the Triple Changers socialise.  
  
 _“We were all debating about who should be in charge of the EDC Space Patrol Unit, and whilst Astrotrain said he would be the most suitable because of his Shuttle mode; Blitzwing was very quick to jump into the debate by saying he could do anything Astrotrain could do, but better. Solarflare was obviously in charge of the engineering sector, and wouldn’t have access to Starscream if shi took charge of the Space patrol unit, so there was no input from hir.”  
“Octane was a new member of the council and showed no enthusiasm at all in the debate. He even started bragging how he could do the job better than either of his fellow Triple Changers, but refused to even take the job position when (sarcastically) offered it. Eventually when Blitzwing was appointed the Unit leader, he demanded Octane be assigned to his team with a Stunticon, just to make Octane learn how much of a pain in the aft his Stunticon-traits are.”  
“Evidently, Blitzwing was not successful and only heightened Octane’s annoyances, since when the chance came up to flee back to Cybertron Octane took it. We knew that Triple Changers don’t tend to work that well together, unless they share a sibling-like bond, but the relationship between a pure-bred Triple Changer with a crossbred one is just a recipe for disaster.”  
_  
  
 **The** **Triple Changer** **; Conclusion**    
  
While I was unable to perform direct observation this time around, both Thundercracker and Acidstorm provided very useful pieces of information for my conclusion.  
The Triple Changer is not just confusing in terms of biology, but also mentality; crossbred Triple Changers encounter far more difficult challenges than their pure-bred companions and may struggle to overcome them. And the reason for the Triple Changers rarity does not lie in the fact that they are solitary by nature, or by crossbreeding, but it all boils down to how they are so heavily used for space exploration and labour; they do not have much time to copulate, or even to court, and as a result very few Triple Changers are born.  
They may have a long lifespan, and the strength to defend themselves (or speed to flee) but without producing offspring the breed cannot continue to grow or develop, and is at risk of extinction.  
  
I strongly encourage all Titron Triple Changers to reconsider their time-consuming jobs, to live a more simple life where they can actually have Sparklings.  
  
  
 _Please continue onto the next chapter for the remaining breeds; Predacon, Terracon, Insecticon._


	7. SECTION 4: Breed Types -Part 4-

First and foremost, I must clarify that the remaining three Decepticon breeds left within this study are indeed the most primitive and behave entirely on animal-like instincts over any social stimuli. The only exception to this is the rare few Insecticons who possess sentience to communicate with other Cybertronians.  
  
  
 **The Primitives; Summarized.**  

  
  
Due to very tight regulations, I was not permitted to study any large Predacons or pure-bred Terracons, and was left with just ravage and Lazerbeak as my live specimens for all three of the ‘primitive’ Decepticons species.  
I was, however, able to obtain many deceased Predacons for my research into their anatomy and generic construction. No one was on-hand at the time to assist me in my research into the ‘primitives’ and thus I was left entirely on my own to perform the research, which as a result leaves it rather patchy in some places.  
  
I will first begin with the Predacon. _  
_  
Predacons were one of the first Cybertronian life forms to roam the face of Cybertron (alongside the Insecticons). In the past, all Predacons were reptile-like savages with no cognitive skills or way of communicating outside of their designated breeds; because of this, the Predacon Robonetic tree remained stagnant and has not developed since the species creation period.  
I studied the remains of many ancient Predacons and found that while a form of biological evolution did indeed take place, the results were rather minute and insignificant; appearance alone remained rather unchanged, with the ancient Predacons being more ‘reptile-like’ than their modern-day descendants, but the real change in their biology is the development of flight.  
  
Lazerbeak is a wonderful example of how the Predacon developed the ability of flight, as he is relatively quick and agile, but when you look down the Predacon family tree at the first fliers, you cannot help but wonder why the huge dragon-like beasts decided becoming small birds was such a good idea.  
The only living relative of the ancient Predacons is Predaking, who was not available for my studies due to his size and presence needed at the Cybertron Academy, he is also evidence that the ancient Predacons did indeed learn to communicate with other Cybertronians and even adapted the ability of bipedal transformation.  
So whilst many Predacons still do not communicate with other species, and stick to communing with their fellow Predacon, it is down to both nature and nurture over the matter; Predaking was raised in a captive environment for many decades and learnt to communicate and transform like a civilised Cybertronian, yet Ravage and Lazerbeak remain very bestial. _  
_I managed to visit Predaking a handful of times at the Cybertron Academy, for very brief observation and communication but due to the ongoing research Eclipse was performing on ancient Decepticon heritage, I was not granted very much time. I was, however, able to compile a small list of features the Predacon (both new and ancient) shared.  
  
 **1) Predacons are both solitary and pack-related Decepticons and can adapt rapidly to survive in a new environment.  
** 2) A well known myth is that the pack Predacons are able to utilise a Combiner-mode, though no evidence has been presented to prove this.  
3) Whilst Predacons may not be able to communicate in our own tongue, they still show an ability to understand it.  
4) Predacons are still listed as ‘wild beasts’ of Cybertron (like the Autobot Maximal) due to their animalistic behaviour and are often the victims of hunting by both Genus’s.  
5) Some Predacons will crossbreed with other Decepticon breeds to adapt.  
  
A large amount of the Predacon remains I salvaged from Eclipse were badly damaged, not due to the course of time, but by their actual causes of death. From my observations, many Predacons were victims of Berserker attacks. So with the decline in Berserker population, has the Predacons population been boosted?  
Sadly my research has revealed otherwise. Please read _SECTION 7: Extinction_ for more information.  
  
But compared to their brutal cousins, the Terracons, the Predacons have things far better. Quite often the Terracon is confused with the Terrorcon, due to name similarities, but there are many ways to tell the two apart:  
  
 **1) Terrorcons are mythological monsters. Terracons are animals.  
** 2) Terracons are animalistic, whilst Terrorcons (according to the myths) are bipedal blood-drinkers.  
3) The name ‘terra’ derives from the Earth language as ‘highland area of a moon or planet’ (since we have translated everything for you Human readers) which explains the area they are most commonly found in.  
  
So whilst Predacons are found pretty much anywhere, the Terracons are isolated in mountainous regions where they can hide themselves better. The Terracon is also infamously known for idling around on Earth, waiting for prey that doesn’t exist, and being mistaken for ‘monsters’; a key example of this is one particular Terracon who adopted the lake Loch-Ness as its home, and was branded the Loch-Ness monster until she was removed from the lake and exposed as a very _‘absent-minded and disorientated Terracon’_.  
Terracons are a more recent member of the primitives, being living evidence of the savage appearances and natures of their more ‘humanoid’ cousins; it is a little known fact that Terracons and the Combaticon share the same ancestor, yet one of the descendants did not discard its savage bestial nature (the Terracon, not the Combaticon.)  
All Terracons are reptilian, unlike the more mammal-like Predacon, and spend most of their time causing chaos and destruction. Even copulating is not safe for them or the Cybertronian they decide to mate with; all Terracons are clumsy and bred primarily for powerful and savage attacks, so during mating the likelihood of being crushed to death, mauled to death or even _consumed_ by the Terracon is incredibly high. Terracons are also cannibals, which mean they are not even safe mating with each other, or raising any young.  
From my deceased ancient specimens, I have seen no evolutionary development within the Terracon, and that (as expected) the cause of many deaths is at the claws or fangs of fellow Terracons, hence why the population is incredibly low. At their current rate of poor breeding and ‘accidental carnage’ the Terracon is presumed to go extinct within the next two to three decades.  
  
Both the Predacon and the Terracon are at risk of extinction, but there is one primitive that is still booming in population and evolution; the Insecticon.  
Insecticons in the ancient times were very small and consumed nothing but ancient (and less hostile versions of) Morphobots and picking off pests on large Predacons. As the course of Cybertron’s climate changed, the Morphobot population exploded, providing the Insecticons with a massive amount of food which enabled the species to grow in size. Unfortunately for the Insecticons, the Morphobots adapted as well, and suddenly the roles of the predator and prey were reversed.  
With the Morphobots off the menu, Insecticons were left to feast on dead Cybertronians and remain picking off pests on the large Predacons.  
The species then developed an appetite for various other cybernetic plants, which assisted them in swelling their population; at some point during the Quintessons rule of Cybertron, the Insecticon population reached insane levels and an infestation began to ravage the cyber-plant life to near extinction. In a desperate attempt to stop the infestation destroying Cybertron the Quintessons exterminated 80% of the species, and even carried Insecticons to other worlds by accident when they were forced to flee from the uprising sentient Decepticons and Autobots.  
There are many planets out there that are purely occupied by Cybernetic plants and Insecticons, with some Morphobots being introduced to those planets to keep the population of Insecticons in check.  
The few Insecticons left behind would evolve to a point where they could interact and cooperate with other Cybertronian species; Bombshell, Shrapnel and Kickback are just three examples of these ‘advanced’ Insecticons, and from my recent research I can safely say that there are far more surfacing with equal intelligence.  
With this being the case, the Insecticons are a breed to closely watch out for, as they may suddenly change their diet from ‘dead’ Cybertronians and plants to ‘live’ ones instead, and with Insecticons living in massive ‘swarms’ the concept of them becoming predators is worrying.  
  
 **The** **Primitives** **; Conclusion**    
  
My studies have shown me that, whilst all three of these breeds are indeed ‘primitive’, the Insecticons are slowly proving themselves worthy of being classed outside of the ‘primitive’ category. Predaking may display intelligence himself, but as a whole the Predacons are still much behind in terms of evolution. As for the Terracon? I honestly wonder how they’ve lasted this long…I would strongly discourage any Cybertronian from even attempting to interface with them, because the risk of death is simply not worth it.  
  
  
 _This concludes the research into the primary breeds of Decepticon; any breeds not covered in this research were either inconclusive or are currently being researched into._


	8. SECTION 5: Decepticon Culture -Folklore-

SECTION 5: Decepticon Culture  

Much like my fellow Autobots; the Decepticons have various stories, myths and legends, or social interactions spanning throughout the Genus’ history.  
This section is split into 3 subjects: **Folklore, Religion, And Social Hierarchy.  
  
  
Subject A: Folklore  
  
** Throughout the Decepticon history many stories have been formed of various quality and taste; from mythological creatures all the way to real Cybertronians, there is a story for both young and old of any breed to listen to.  
Many of these stories are passed down through the generations verbally rather than written in anything concrete, though a few examples of storytelling do exist in ancient ruins of Berserker Temples and mythological tablets.  
I had one individual on hand that was very well educated in Deception Folklore, my associate Ratchet; he provided various samples of surviving written stories and myths, as well as illustrated. However, due to the fragility of the items I am unable to provide direct copies of the tablets.  
  
 _“These tablets were recovered from the catacombs beneath the Hall of Heroes, where the Decepticons bury their honoured dead.”_ Ratchet began, as he showed me the three tablets Wheeljacks team uncovered from the site _“They were written in ancient, but standard language, of Decepticon which meant any Decepticon or Autobot trained to read the language are capable of translating them. Starscream was available to translate everything for us.”  
_ Starscream translated each tablet in full detail, inserting abbreviations and annotations for Autobots and Humans to read, so as to better understand the ideology behind the stories.  
  
 ****Tablet Example: Terror In the Darkness  
  
From stone and fire, death be told the warriors whose bodies were forged cold ( _Cybertronians whose bodies were forged, and where not bred or born from the Well of AllSparks, were ‘forged cold’)_.   
Nor Spark, nor breath be felt from thy touch; cold as death yet not turned to dust _(Cybertronians who appeared alive, but lacked a pulse or breathing)_.   
Cursed with insatiable hunger for thy young blood, Nobot is safe from the beasts’ wrath; run and hide, pray they do not find thee, and when they move on do not stop…run fast, and flee. _(Terrorcons were mythological creatures, who supposedly drank the Energon from young Cybertronians who wandered too far from their Tribe.)  
  
_ -  
  
Starscream and Ratchet both explained the history behind this small story, and that the verbal version of it is actually far longer and more gruesome than its original tablet version.  
  
 _“Back in Cybertrons early days, when both Autobot and Decepticon sentient individuals lived in Tribes, these types of stories circulated to encourage or discourage youths from certain behaviour.”_ Ratchet informed.  
Starscream contributed to the data by explaining how the stories where used, and why, in both ancient culture and modern culture _“Sparklings and Teenbots are both constantly responsible for causing trouble, so what better way to discourage them from certain things than to input scary stories into their heads! In the Tribal past, youngsters who wandered off on their own were at risk of being slaughtered by rival Tribes or wild Predacons, and the same can be said for today’s Decepticons; youngsters who wander off into the Wastes alone are at risk of being killed by not just exiled Decepticons, but Dweller worms and Scraplets as well…and don’t even get me started on when young Autobots find them!”_  
Starscream paused for a few moments as he recalled his childhood, when being told the stories his ancestors would have told their own offspring _“Terrorcons were a way of discouraging us to leaving our homes at night, because the myths all say that Terrorcons only attack Cybertronians at night and in dark places. Some of us became so scared of them that we refused to go offline for the night without a flashlight or something similar.”  
“’If you go outside after dark, the Terrorcons will get you and suck out all your Energon!’ That’s what our warden use to say…and of course I believed her for a few years, but by the time you mature to the age of a Teen you naturally become rebellious…so I often left the orphanage after dark and quickly learnt that Terrorcons did not exist.”  
  
_ When asked about why those who were ‘forged cold’ were part of the story, Starscream was very quick to assure me that the ‘ _times have changed_ ’ and that back in the older days of Cybertron, those who were ‘ _forged cold were branded as monsters_ ’. He also made it quite clear that in the more recent versions of the stories, the mentioning of being forged cold is not present.  
 _“Back in old Cybertron you were either bred or came from the Well; anyone who was constructed otherwise confused a lot of the traditionalists, and of course where there is confusion there is also fear and hatred. Those who were born as Hermaphrodites also had it bad back then, along with Cybertronians who did not wish to partner with a member of the opposite sex. You’ll notice that in all the old stories from ancient times, that these three types of Cybertronian (forged cold, hermaphrodites or gay) were always portrayed as the monsters.”  
  
_ The next subject on the terms of mythology was Sparkeaters.  
 _“Those things are NOT a myth.”_ Starscream aggressively informed me _“they do exist; it’s the ones who say they’re ‘just a myth’ who are the first to get their Spark chomped on!”  
_ Starscreams temper did not wane enough for me to get a solid explanation from him, and thus I had to consult Ratchet instead.  
 _“In the Decepticon myths, Sparkeaters would hunt down and kill the Tribe Leader if he or she was not suitable to lead anymore. They were often portrayed as ‘grim reapers’, which also deterred youngsters from seeking out the ‘leadership’ position out of fear of a Sparkeater visiting them should they not be worthy of the title.”  
  
_ I inquired Starscream again, for any examples of the Sparkeater ‘myth’, used in modern-day Decepticon culture _“The warden would tell us that if we threatened her authority, that a Sparkeater would come and well…eat our soul. Of course her methods and stories were always wrong, because why else would she get fired from her job?”  
“Our new warden was always telling us stories about Sparkeaters, the DJD, Terrorcons, the Knights of Cybertron, Bone-Breaker the Brutal…honestly, there are so many different types of ‘myths and legends’ out there it would take up far too much time to say it all.”  
“But on the subject of Sparkeaters, the running consistency with their story is that they track down and hunt for the ‘brightest’ Spark. This story was confirmed as a FACT in the Decepticon ranks, during our… err…assault on the Earth.”  
  
_ I questioned Starscream further on the story; _“My fellow Seekers and I were tasked with recovering some ‘valuable items’ from a nearby star system for Megatron, when we stumbled upon an old Autobot ship drifting through space. We decided to investigate, just to see if there was anything useful left behind, and what we found instead was horrifying.”  
“There was a Sparkeater on board that ship, it apparently was being transported somewhere to be unleashed on one of our other Decepticon army camps, but the monster must have broken free somehow because every single Autobot on the ship was dead; chest cavity ripped open, no traces of other injuries or even Energon loss. The injuries were clean, and direct to the Spark Chamber.”  
“As Sparklings we all grew up knowing the ‘signs’ of when a Sparkeater is present, and seeing a dead body like that is just one of them; the others included high tension in individuals, some bordering paranoia, excessive chills and as for the ‘brightest’ Sparked individual…”  
“I am going to admit it now, I never suspected Thundercracker to have the brightest Spark. But when he said his Spark was racing, without stimuli, we entered a panic. We fled through the ship to try and get out, but eventually the thing found us and came after Thundercracker. It was just dumb luck that we shot a hole large enough in the ship’s hull for it to be sucked out and into space.”  
  
_ Whilst Sparkeaters are often branded a ‘myth’, there have been strange sightings and even remains left behind of ‘victims’ that strongly suggests the creatures actually do exist. But with very few individuals surviving a confrontation with a Sparkeater, with no physical evidence to back up their story, the topic remains as just a myth.  
The subject regarding the ‘Decepticon Justice Division’, also known as the DJD, was well known amongst all Decepticons. But Starscream once again proved that he knew far more than he wanted to about the group.  
According to my research into the subject, the Decepticon Justice Division comprised of five individuals that brandished ‘code-names’ depicted by Native Decepticon Territory on Cybertron. These included the following; Kaon, Tarn, Vos, Tesarus and Helex.  
  
 _“The DJD are like…well...bounty hunters, taking direct orders from the Decepticon Leader; the Leader writes out a Hit List and gives it to the boss of the DJD (Tarn) and then the targets are hunted down, tortured to within an inch of their life, or are killed slowly and painfully. The myth is one of the newest of its kind, but still predates Natron’s rule. And recent rumours claim that Bone-Breaker was the one who founded the DJD.”  
_ I questioned why the DJD are listed as a myth, and not as Decepticon Fact; _“Megatron would never tell us if they were real…I mean, seriously; he was keeping everyone in check with the threats that if we pissed him off too much, that he’d add us to ‘The List’. And with how the stories go, nobody who meets the DJD survives or leaves them without becoming completely insane, which rules out the chances of speaking to anyone who claims they met them.”  
“Everyone was afraid of being put on The List that hardly anyone dared try to usurp Megatron…unless they were certain they could do it before the DJD could find out. I honestly didn’t believe the myth of them, and since I’m well…alive…I remain sticking to my belief that they are not real.”  
_  
The myth states that members of the DJD were ‘mortal’ Decepticons who were recruited to ‘pass judgement’ by Bone-Breakers laws, though recent modifications to the myth claim that Megatron himself founded them. There is no solid proof for either of these claims.  
Another variant of the myth is that the group was once a massive Assassins Guild on Cybertron that destroyed itself because of internal affairs between its members, and the sole survivors of the conflict were the 5 members of the DJD. Again, there is no evidence to prove this as fact, and it is all speculation.  
  
 _“There are a lot more ‘history’ stories on how the Division started, but the most common one to-date is that they were part of an elite Assassins Guild who were personally hired by Natron (Megatrons deceased father) to protect his sons. Of course, with Megatron killing his brothers he was the only son left to protect, and he claims that the DJD were formed under his orders after it became apparent they were actually useful to him.”  
“There’s no proof, nor has there ever been any, to suggest that the Decepticon Justice Division even exists. Gamatron doesn’t even know about the DJD, which would be very strange considering he is Megatron’s only son and would highly benefit from the Division.”  
“I still believe Megatron fabricated the story, twisting a few real facts and Cybertronians into something completely new, to keep Scorponok and Sixshot at bay.”  
  
_ I then moved onto the next topic; Bone-Breaker the Brutal.  
 _“He was cold, ruthless and homicidally insane; far more sick-minded than your average Berserker, and dare I say even more crazy than Megatron.”  
“Bone-Breaker was hell-bent on destroying weakness and certain breeds of Autobot AND Decepticon; if you transformed into a tiny car, or a skinny plane, you would want to run and hide from Bone-Breaker and his army. He was a racial and cultural bigot, never believed in Primus or Unicron which ruled out the likelihood of him being a religious extremist, and committed mass genocide quite possibly for fun.”_  
I asked Starscream to tell me of any stories he was told as a Sparkling, which may involve Bone-Breaker or his weapon, Kohnarik.  
 _“I didn’t hear much about Bone-Breaker in my youth, but I did hear a lot about Kohnarik; it was said that anyone who possessed the hammer would become the strongest Cybertronian who ever lived, and that the owner of the hammer would become Cybertrons next ruler.”  
“Obviously I tried searching for the hammer for many years, even under Megatron’s rule, but upon meeting Sixshot and learning more about Bone-Breaker himself I decided to stop looking for it. It simply was not worth the risks.”  
_ I requested Starscream discuss further on what these ‘risks’ where; _“Curses, Perceptor…there are a few individuals out there who actually do perform ‘black magic’, or ‘shadowplay’ science, which makes me believe in curses. Kohnarik was said to be cursed upon the death of Bone-Breaker and the rise of Overlord, who ordered the hammer to be cursed and sealed away, never to be used again.”  
“Sixshot said Kohnarik would suck the life out of anyone who attempted to use it, and would then utilise your ‘dead’ body as a vessel to finish Bone-Breakers work. Obviously with my believing in curses, I was not willing to risk finding that hammer just to obtain Leadership.”  
_ Upon requesting more information about Overlord, the Leader Class who usurped Bone-Breaker, Starscream simply shook his head _“That is strictly a Leader Class myth. You need to ask one of them about Overlord, because quite frankly us ‘lesser breeds’ apparently are not worthy enough to hear the story.”  
_  
I managed to obtain Sixshot after Crasher was kind enough to revive him, providing me with more information about Overlord and Bone-Breaker; though he was very reluctant to provide me with this information, Sixshot eventually succumbed to defeat and I was able to extract data.  
 _“Overlord was the only Leader Class with the ball-bearings to take on Bone-Breaker”_ Sixshot began, struggling to stay still through questioning _“he started out as a no-name scavenger in an ancient settlement that is now covered by the city of Tarn; Berserkers would laugh at him, kick him and spit at him. He was treated like dirt because Bone-Breaker had a strong prejudice against Leader Class Decepticons and instead of just killing them he encouraged his troops and followers to just treat them like animals.”  
“He was just a Teenbot when he decided ‘enough was enough’, and began training himself in preparation for his assault on Bone-Breaker. He trained restlessly for years both alone and with fellow Leader Class males, in an effort to get stronger. Eventually he became strong enough, and confident enough, to confront Bone-Breaker and challenge him to a one-on-one fight.”  
“Bone-Breaker was overpowered by the desires this no-name leader Class had in freeing the Decepticons from tyrannous rule, and in the end it was not just Overlord who defeated Bone-Breaker, but also his fellow Leader Class companions.”  
“Overlord earned his name from his Leader Class friends, who all agreed he was the most worthy to take over the Decepticons Leadership. Indeed Overlord remained the dominant male, until being killed by his own son (Megatron’s great, great, grandfather) in a one-on-one challenge for the throne.”  
  
_ Sixshot provided all the information I needed to wrap up the research into the Bone-Breaker and Overlord Legend, which granted me the pleasure of moving on to a more heart-warming myth; the Knights of Cybertron.  
Starscream was back on hand for the remainder of the discussion, with Sixshot being released into the Wastes to rejoin his Decepticon brethren.  
  
 _“The Knights of Cybertron…oh Primus…some Cybertronians will say they’re myth, others will say they are real. I personally am not religious, and don’t believe they ever existed.”  
“There’s this whole wish-wash of different stories, about how they were formed and what they did, and even why they left. But it all sounds like garbage.”  
_ To his slight annoyance, I requested Starscream describe a few of these stories for my records; _“One story claims The Knights of Cybertron were formed under direct order of Primus (Cybertronian Godly figure) to aid the Cybertronian population into civilization and peace. They however, saw a darkness within the primitive Cybertronians, and abandoned them to carry out Primus’ will elsewhere.”  
“Another story portrays The Knights of Cybertron as ancient warriors who were blessed with holy powers by primus himself, to work as ‘his hands and mouth’ to the Cybertronian people. But due to a rise in science over religion, the Knights fled to spread Primus’ faith on other Cybertronian worlds.”  
“Then there is the most popular belief that The Knights of Cybertron are the creators of all known sentient Cybertronian life, that they constructed the Well of AllSparks under direct order of their leader, Primus. When the job was done, and Cybertron’s first civilized species came to be, the Knights departed to sow more seeds of life on other worlds.”  
  
_ Although Starscream claims to not be religious, I requested he deliver his opinion on the possibilities that The Knights of Cybertron may have indeed planted a seed for life, instead of Cybertron creating life on its own.  
 _“Life has many mysteries; the existence of our race to organics is one of them, but then again the existence of organics to us was rather farfetched at one point. I do believe something, not someone, brought the right ingredients to create life to Cybertron like…say…a comet or meteorite, and that life evolved from that point onwards.”  
“Having ‘faith’ in mythological beings creating and managing life on Cybertron may be comforting to some, but it has no factual evidence which scientific minds such as me and you need for comfort. So I say once again that The Knights of Cybertron are just a myth and anyone who desires to chase after stories and fairytales are a joke to the Cybertronian race.”  
  
_ I investigated further into the Knights of Cybertron within my religious culture study. For more information, please continue onto _Subject B: Religion_.


	9. SECTION 5: Decepticon Culture -Religion-

**Subject B: Religion  
  
** There is various types of religion within Cybertronian existence, with both Autobot and Decepticon sharing a vast majority of them all.  
The Knights of Cybertron, Primus, Unicron, the Underbase, D-Void, the plane of existence known as the Oververse…these are just a handful. Numerous others exist, but the data available is either unreadable or incomplete. Even Sunstorm was not able to explain every shred of detail on the ‘forgotten faiths’, and with Religion he claims to be his ‘bane of existence’ I was rather shocked to hear that he didn’t know much about the missing information either.  
  
 _“Sometimes Primus decides to remove data he deems to be unworthy, or incorrect.”_ He began, sober for a change _“The Knights of Cybertron is one sample of the one true-faith (Primus) and is often mistaken for being a separate religious belief system; this is not true. The Knights served Primus as his envoys and hands, delivering judgement upon the unrighteous whilst attempting to guide the unfaithful into Primus’ light.”  
“The Decepticons didn’t believe in Primus, not as a whole at least; there are isolated individuals within the Genus who believe the Decepticons religious beliefs are entirely false, and decide upon accepting the one true-faith or none at all.”  
  
_ I inquired Solarflare, who was not a strong believer of Primus, to provide data on the Decepticons religious system. Shi was rather detailed in explaining both tribal and modern-day religion, and how it has changed so much.  
  
 _“There are many smaller faiths the Decepticons have always followed, though as a whole there is one that all have believed in at some point or another, but it had no true name and has always been referred to simply as ‘the Decepticon Code’.”  
_ Solarflare provided the list of ‘rules’ of the faith which have existed since the Tribal Ages, and surprisingly the rules have not changed since known records began of the system. _  
_  
 **1) All kills are made in honour of the Chief; a portion of the kill must be offered to the Chief at an altar or directly as an act of loyalty and good faith.  
2) Any remains of a deceased Tribe member must be offered at an altar in order to be blessed by a Shaman, to allow their Spark free passage into the next plane.  
3) Tribe members must do exactly as the Chief says, as he speaks for the Lord and Master of Darkness.  
4) Offerings to the Lord and Master of Darkness must be made at an altar regularly tended to by a Shaman. Viable offerings include innermost Energon, the talons and fangs from a Predacon, the Spark Chamber of a firstborn Sparkling, the head of a rival Tribe member and ritual sacrifice of one’s Spark.  
5) Those who preach any other faith are to be executed before an altar to the Lord and Master of Darkness, by the hands of the Chief.  
6) Abandoning the faith yields the penalty of death at the hands of the Chief or his subordinates.  
7) All males are to be initiated into the Tribe at the Coming of Age, via trials and processes. Those who fail the trials are to be banished for life.  
  
** I requested Solarflare inform me who the ‘Lord and Master of Darkness’ was, to which shi replied _“he is known by many names, not to be mistaken for Devil Z or D-Void (these are separate deities), but he was just referred to as The Fallen in documentation.”_  
Continuing on this subject, Solarflare provided information on the ‘trials’ a young male would have to go through before being allowed to remain within the tribe, as ‘The Fallen’ had a strict belief system in place that did not tolerate weakness in his followers.  
These trials included;  
  
1) Hunting large prey alone and needing to bring back a carcass as evidence.  
2) Fighting in none-lethal combat against elder males in a test of strength.  
3) Partaking in lethal combat against caught Predacons and/or abducted rival tribe members.  
4) Surviving a brutal beat-down by the Chief and his lieutenants.  
5) Crafting very strong and useful structures for the Tribe to use (Constructicons only).  
6) All of the above, simultaneously or sequential. (Leader Class only).  
  
Whilst many tablets exist explaining this religious system, one fact was constantly evading me; who wrote all these tablets and why?  
 _“The most recent envoy of the Decepticon Code was known as Bludgeon.”_ Solarflare informed me _“He claimed to hear The Fallen speaking in his mind, and wrote down everything he was told to write on the tablets or to expand on even older tablets written by previous prophets.”  
“As for why he wrote everything down, all I and anyone else can assume is that he was a zealot much like Sunstorm is for Primus.”  
_  
Upon re-reading one of the tablets with the aid of Starscream, I became intrigued by several of the prophecies inscribed on them.  
One such prophecy foretold the rise of a demonic creature, accumulated by the Sparks of dead Decepticons, which would reign down death and destruction should the genus be brought under extinction. This creature was called **Violen Jiger**.  
 _“This section of the religion was most likely formed to scare Autobots and rival Decepticon tribes, to prevent mass genocide.”_ Solarflare began _“Of course, when Bone-Breaker became the ‘chief’ of Decepticons on Cybertron he didn’t care about either religious beliefs, and slaughtered anyone he wanted. Because of this, a vast amount of Decepticon and Autobot species went extinct.”  
“Numerous Decepticons made offerings to The Fallen in hope that he would keep the bloodlines strong, and prayed to Violen Jiger to ensure he would deliver judgement upon the species which dares cause harm to the Decepticon genus. However, these two entities are not the only ones who are worshipped.”  
_ Solarflare revealed to me a fragment from the tablets that Starscream could not decipher (as he was busy elsewhere). It revealed a third and final entity which the Decepticon masses worshipped.  
  
 _“Deathsaurus was supposedly the first ever Leader Class who impressed The Fallen enough to ascend to god-like status”_ shi displayed evidence within more tablets and even remains of a skull that confirmed Deathsaurus was an actual living Cybertronian, and was not just a myth.  
Much like Humans Jesus, Deathsaurus was a gifted and powerful figure within Decepticon history, but upon his death did he ascend into godhood? Or was he just a very talented individual who appeared godly?  
 _“We can confirm that Deathsaurus engaged in Shadowplay, which explains his god-like powers”_ Solarflare began, pointing out the markings branded into the skull which were a result of performing black-magic or ‘Shadowplay’ _“so whilst he was revered as godly, he was just another talented individual of the Leader Class breed, just like Overlord.”  
_ Upon even further examinations into Deathsaurus’ writings it became clear to us that he was also a devout prophet much like Bludgeon; using both his Shadowplay and instinctive Leader Class skills he was capable of attracting mass attention, and ensured followers remained faithful by use of the black-magic. However, unlike Bludgeons writings, Deathsaurus did not mention The Fallen as his Lord and Master; a different name was used, one which many readers may recognise as belonging to someone else who exists within the Primus Religion.  
 _“The Fallen was a name which surfaced later in history, when Bludgeon became the next prophet centuries after Deathsaurus demise and the growing Autobot-Decepticon Religious conflicts began to break out; the Will of Primus faith use to be closely connected to the Decepticon Code, until Bludgeon started claiming he heard The Fallen speaking directly to him and stated the Will of Primus was wrong. In the original writings by Deathsaurus, The Fallen was actually called Megatronus, who was one of the original thirteen Primes within the Will of Primus faith.”  
_ So it seems the Decepticons main religious faith stemmed from the fundamentals of Primus’ Faith, but why did Bludgeon change the tablets written by Deathsaurus? And what inspired Deathsaurus to write the tablets in the first place?  
 _“Deathsaurus never claimed to hear voices in his head, but instead used Shadowplay to ‘read signs’ and commune with the dead to learn more of Cybertrons past. Perhaps he was driven mad by his delving into black-magic, and wrote down the faith in a fit of madness. There is no physical or written evidence to show the mental state Deathsaurus was in, besides the obvious scarring the Shadowplay left on his remains.”_  
 _“As for Bludgeon, he surfaced at the pinnacle of Religious Conflict and would have rewritten the documents and tablets regardless of The Fallen ‘telling him to’ or not. Allowing your faith to be similar to that of your enemies is not tolerable within Tribal life unless both faiths are identical and thus the ideologies of the two Tribes are identical. So Bludgeon changed the name of their deity to The Fallen and attempted with all his power to convince the Decepticons that the Will of Primus belief system was against The Fallen’s wishes.”_  
  
Although this belief system surrounding ‘The Fallen’ (aka Megatronus) is classed as the Decepticons main religious faith, also providing written origins for many of their laws, it is still considered as just one fragment of an entire circle of religious beliefs.  
The art of Shadowplay (referred to by alien species as Black-Magic) is a practice performed by Decepticons publicly that was outlawed by Autobots; it traces its origins all the way back to the Copper Ages of Cybertron, where small groups of Cybertronians lived in Troops (before later evolving into large Tribal units) with the Shaman of the group performing all acts of Shadowplay.

The creator of Shadowplay is not known, though entire documents written by both Quintessons who witnessed it and Decepticons who practiced the craft exist to provide detailed information as to why the art of Shadowplay is considered as an entirely different religious belief system.  
  
 **Quintesson Journal Extract on Shadowplay**  
  
 _Of all the native creatures we have captured on this mechanical world, none so far have demonstrated any remarkable signs of intellect on par with that of a creature with a logical mind; they do, however, have skills within a science I and my colleagues are currently investigating which at present we do not understand._  
 _Unlike the various tribes we have herded, a single member of the Destronia species utilised unseen forces to bend the fabric of time and space to their will without any logical reason behind how such a feat is made possible; cages and fences the creature have been held within were found melted or warped an hour after the creatures containment. With the beast being examined beforehand for any sort of weapons, and the results proving inconclusive, many argued that the Destronia did not have the correct tools to free itself with in this manner and that it may possibly be a trait of the species._  
 _However this belief is untrue; I studied the creature once it was isolated within a new cage and found that it clung possessively to its staff and engaged in numerous chants and odd dances, shaking the staff around as it moved, and instead of using minerals we offered it as nourishment I found the Destronia using the metals to form strange symbols and markings on the floor of its cage. So far, none have been able to decipher the meaning behind the symbols, but after careful observation and much patience we did manage to establish the use of such a symbol._  
 _Much like the primitive creatures found on Ceti Alpha Seven, who were also physically similar to the Insecticona member of the Destronia species, the marking of symbols with accompanied staff waving and dancing are signs of Religious ceremony. So while we can conclude that the Destronia are indeed possessive of intellect, they are still highly primitive and base actions on religious systems._

I had Starscream on hand to translate a handful of Decepticon-written information on Shadowplay and its purposes, which just confirmed the Quintessons theory that the art was Religious-based and nothing of science or logic.  
Within the documents, mentioning of D-Void and beings listed only as ‘The Ideal Masters’ are prevalent over any mentioning of other Religious figures; according to the texts, D-Void was the guardian of the Dead Universe and consumed sacrificed Sparks (from Cybertronians) and Souls (from organics) which satisfied the deities endless hunger. In return for feeding De-Void, the Shaman performing Shadowplay would be rewarded with dark and unholy powers to manipulate time and space. D-Void was often depicted as a Sparkeater-like creature with masses of black tentacles and red eyes.  
As for The Ideal Masters, not much has survived about them. Only small fragments of data being pieced back together reveal a basis for their purpose in the Shadowplay faith, but even by doing this there are many guesses and theories to fill in the missing information.  
So, in theory, The Ideal Masters are the beings who keep D-Void under control in the Dead Universe; D-Void is a genderless creature with powers capable of destroying anything outside the Dead Universe, and as The Ideal Masters depend of our Universe for their power and dominance over the Dead Universe, they must ensure D-Void never escapes to ravage it.  
According to the data, The Ideal Masters were communed with by those who engage in Shadowplay, whereby a bargain would be struck between the two parties; by feeding D-Void with sacrifices, The Ideal Masters would grant the Shaman the powers necessary to manipulate their surroundings, and by trapping or harvesting Sparks/Souls directly for The Ideal Masters a more dangerous power would be granted to the Shaman…the power to raise the dead.  
But this bargain works entirely in The Ideal Masters favour; the Shaman, once dead, becomes the property of The Ideal Masters and they must obey every command made by them or they would find their Spark flung into an endless nightmare of being consumed by D-Void and revived, only to be consumed again, for all eternity.    
  
Upon inquiring with all Cybertronians who contributed to my research this far, we began to unravel a dark truth behind the art of Shadowplay that many of us were very uneasy to learn about; from what we could understand, Shadowplay dapples in various forms of ‘black-magic’ and ‘forbidden sciences’ in order to make shady deals with deities in charge of the Dead Universe. With such a massive amount of data provided that points towards Shadowplay being entirely devoted to working with the dead or undead, we have concluded that Shadowplay is almost completely the same as the Earthanoid techniques known as ‘Necromancy’.  
This raised various concerns as to how many Cybertronians, who died and were almost completely destroyed with little to no remains made available, were so easily brought back to life by certain individuals. The concerns being that whilst The Decepticon Code and The Will of Primus are considered as just ‘religious faiths’ with little scientific evidence to prove them as fact, the skill of Shadowplay not only mentions religious-like beings but also has been shown to scientifically work; this raises innumerable questions into the legitimacy of specific areas of science, and why (unlike the other two major faith systems) Shadowplay is bombarded with physical as well as scientific evidence to support its existence and legitimacy.  
  
Crasher, one of my previous Seeker Specimens, was confirmed to have an uncanny ability to revive the dead though he denies partaking in the act of Shadowplay. He cut in various symbols and markings onto his body which he claims to _“not remember why he made them”,_ but the mounting similarities found in the documents on Shadowplay markings and symbols matching those cut into his own body just heightens the belief that he engages in this forbidden art (at least to Titrons and Autobots).  
When asked how he was capable of performing flawless resurrections, Crasher claimed he was just blessed with an innate talent for it and that the symbol similarity to his markings is pure coincidence.  
I requested information from one individual whom had ancestral heritage directly connected with Shadowplay to ease our concerns; Shockwave the Second. _  
“My great, great ancestors were all Shamans for Decepticon tribes and practiced Shadowplay as was the tradition. Shockwave the First was well known for their inherent ability to revive the dead and cure any ailment with seemingly no effort at all, long before they took part in the necessary ritual to list themselves as a user of Shadowplay.”_  
  
“So some Cybertronians are just naturally gifted in this art, without having to make shady deals with The Ideal Masters or D-Void?”  
 _“That is correct; Shockwave the First had never made the bargain with The Ideal Masters to use Shadowplay until they came of age, yet long before the ritual took place they were curing diseases and injuries without even trying…and revived long-dead Cybertronians and made it look easy.”  
  
_ “Is there any reason behind this; anything religious or scientific?”  
 _“It is said within the Decepticon Code that once every few thousand years, The Fallen selects one Spark under The Ideal Masters control and sets it free again to aid his cause; the individual in their past life performed Shadowplay and maintained some of the perks to the bargain, even when they are reborn and given a second chance at life completely free of The Ideal Masters and their hold.”  
  
_ “So in religious terms, reincarnation is the reason behind this intrinsic behaviour. Is there any scientific facts to prove this?”  
 _“Crasher and Shockwave the First are both evidence to support this theory; they both possessed remarkable skills in healing and reviving the dead, and they both unconsciously cut Shadowplay markings into their bodies as this was expected of Shamans in Tribal Cybertron in order to display their status.”  
  
_ “The markings on some of the documents match the symbols carved on Kohnarik. Is there really a connection between Bone-Breakers hammer and Shadowplay?”  
 _“Honestly, nobody knows where Kohnarik came from; it just appeared one day and was confirmed to grant power in exchange for the users Spark at their death. This is identical in nature to The Ideal Masters and their bargaining with Shadowplay users. So is there a connection? Absolutely. For all we know, The Ideal Masters may have forged Kohnarik to help spread their influence in order to get more Souls and Sparks to feed D-Void with.”_  
  
This puts my mind, and many others I presume, at ease. Shockwave the Second confirmed that while Shadowplay is very real, it is also something that should not entirely be feared as much as it actually is. Whilst modern-day Shadowplay is still permitted within the Decepticons a massive 98.4% choose not to use it or partake with anyone who does use it, and is thus seen as a social taboo rather than illegal within the Decepticons social system.  
And thus, we move onto our next topic of study; Social Heirachy.


	10. SECTION 5: Decepticon Culture -Social Hierarchy-

**Subject C: Social Hierarchy**  
  
Throughout known history, Decepticons have lived by a very specific social hierarchy (also known as a pecking order). This subject has already been lightly discussed in previous subjects, such as Religion and the topics on breeds, but here you will find all of this information rounded up into one place.  
  
The Social Ladder

Decepticons are born into a social ladder; one example is that if your parents are both of a higher rank you will be treated as if part of that higher rank.  
An example of this is the Seeker Hierarchy; whilst Thundercracker is the leader of the Titrons, he is not listed as a high-ranked Seeker within the breeds’ social ladder. Starscream is listed as the Flock leader (which labels him as High Classed), and his offspring are automatically listed as higher-classed Seekers due to being born between two upper-classed parents.  
  
 **Starscream (Flock Leader, High Class)  
** _Mates with… **  
**_ **Solarflare (Flock Leader, High Class)  
** _Produces offspring… **  
**_ **Crasher, Flarestar, Shrieker (High Class)**  
  
Now, let’s apply this to another mated-pair and see the results.  
  
 **Skywarp (Upper Class)  
** _Mates with… **  
**_ **Quicksilver (Lower Class)  
** _Produces offspring… **  
**_ **Malachite, Ebony, Silverwing (Lower Class)**  
  
As you can see here, although Skywarp is listed as Upper Class, his offspring were mothered by a Lower Class female and as a result inherited her social rank.  
Why is this? It’s all down to Cyberbiology; females contain the most desirable RNA and CNA for creating strong offspring with, and so being born from a mother that is classed as ‘low’ or ‘poor in RNA/CNA’ results in the offspring of said mother being listed as having the same quality.  
This form of social ladder differs strongly from breed to breed of Decepticon, with inter-breed classification usually having an impact on the entire genus Social ladder. ****  
  
1) _The Leader Class determines it’s social ladder through humiliating (and often brutal) contests amongst one another._  
  
2) _The Berserker constructed it’s social ladder around individuals with the largest teeth._

3) _The Seeker forms its social ladder around the concept of parentage, on the mothers side._

4) _The Triple Changer, like it's Seeker cousin, shares the same form of social ladder construction only with BOTH parents determining the offspring’s class._

6)  _Stunticon's social ladder is determined by the fastest and loudest individuals.  
_ 7)  _The Predacon's have no social ladder with the exception that size seems to determine who is dominant._

8)  _The Cassetticon's social ladder is built up around family-groups, as they are not the most social of Decepticons with members of their own breed; youngsters are deemed at the bottom of the pile whilst elders reside at the top._

9)  _The Terracon has no social ladder at all, as all members of a group behave the same and are perfectly capable of killing each other without a reason._

10)  _The Constructicon's determine their social ladder on construction work, planning and basic leadership skills. Those at the top of the ladder create designs and manage lower-ranked construction teams, whilst the leader of the pack manages the upper-to-middle class managers._

_11)  Insecticons base their social ladder on intelligence; Bombshell, Shrapnel and Kickback are all listed as higher-to-upper class Insecticons as they are able to coordinate the masses in their swarm._ _  
_12) _The Sweep's cannot tell each other apart through sight or smell, but somehow are able to form a social ladder; it is not known how this ladder is established._

13)  _The Vehicon/Standard Decepticon determine their social ladder through size and strength, along with parentage (if one parent is a Stunticon, the offspring are elevated to upper/higher-class.)_

Please find below a basic synopsis of the social ladder, which applies to all above groups.  
  
 **High Class** (Leader/s of a Pack) **  
Upper Class** (Lieutenants of a Pack) **  
Middle Class** (Main body of a Pack, treated with more respect than Lower Class) **  
Lower Class** (Main body of a Pack, treated with little respect) **  
Fodder** (Small percentage of a Pack, treated with no respect)  
  
Now find below the same list, but with individuals within a Constructicon Pack as examples.  
  
 **High Class** (Scrapper, Hook) **  
Upper Class** (Scavenger, Mixmaster) **  
Middle Class** (Hightower, Dirtboss, Gravedigger) **  
Lower Class** (Long Haul, Bonecrusher) **  
Fodder** (None)  
  
Sometimes members of the Lower Classes are referred to as ‘omegas’ of a pack, and are often given this title (which is different to regular Lower Class) due to their behaviour. Omega’s tend to be seen as ‘clowns’ and ‘laughing stocks’ to a pack, that although they appear useless to the overall functions of the group, they are not deemed expendable.  
Bonecrusher is called the omega of Scrapper’s Construction pack, due to the way he behaves with his brother (Gravedigger) and younger Constructicons, he often serves as some form of entertainment to the group (though, as is the nature of Omegas, it is unintentional). Long Haul on the other hand, is seen as just a Lower Class and is therefore a nuisance.  
  
The “Pecking Order”  
  
Unlike the social ladder, which is relevant to individual breed relations only, the Pecking Order is the order in which individuals are classed and treated within mixed-breed units such as the more modern Decepticon Tribal Units. This list is compiled through study into ancient tribal units, and fairly recent social units (such as the groups lead by Megatron and Scorponok).  
  
 **Elite Class** (Leader Class) **  
Higher Class** (Berserker) **  
Upper Class** (Triple Changers, Constructicons, Casseticons) **  
Middle Class** (Seekers, Stunticons) **  
Lower Class** (Combaticons, Terracons, Predacons) **  
Fodder** (Vehicons, Sweeps, Insecticons)  
  
Much like the Social ladder construct, the above is the chain of command and usual order of succession.  
Those in the Higher Class report directly to the Elite and net more from a hunt than those lower in the chain. Individuals in the Lower and Fodder Classes usually pick up small scraps or have to fend for themselves. Those in the lower ranks often found themselves beaten, abused, insulted and even killed by those in the Middle to Upper Class ranks to remind them of their social status.  
Individuals in the Lower Classes were also the least sociable with very few friends and often isolated themselves, making them easy targets for the bullies within the group.  
No matter your breed type, your position within the Pecking Order will rarely shift. Even if the currently established Alpha Male dies, there is always another one waiting in the Lower Class to steal the throne (rival Alpha males that are not killed by the current Leader are often positioned in lower ranks, to remind them of their place.)  
However, in Gamatron’s Tribal Unit he ensures his Lieutenant, Scorponok, is in a much higher ranked position than any normal Alpha Male would allow. The reasons behind this are not known.  
  
Modern-Day Social Hierarchy  
  
After millennia of the same structure of Social ladder and Pecking Order, the Decepticons have begun a change in the way their society is constructed. Much like the old way the Autobots managed their groups (in the form of Guilds), the Decepticon Tribes based your breed/parentage on determining your line of work and social rank. Through observations on wild Tribal Units, we have noticed a major shift in the way this track of social thinking is changing.  
Although the leadership position is still managed by an Alpha Male, those in the Classes below the Elite are starting to become blurred and distorted.   
Find below the more modernised list (units lead by Gamatron and his sons, Neutron and Megatron Jr) of the ‘Pecking order’.  
  
 **Elite Class** (Leader Class, Berserker) **  
Higher Class** (Pack Leaders of breeds, like Scrapper, Bombshell and Starscream) **  
*Upper Class** (Triple Changers, Constructicons, Casseticons, Seekers, Stunticons) **  
*Middle Class** (Combaticons, Insecticons, Vehicons) **  
Lower Class** (Sweeps) **  
Fodder ** (Terracons, Predacons)  
  
Those marked by an asterisk (*) are being seen to be merging into one singular Classification, known only as “The Pack Body”. Those in the Higher Class are often referred to as “The Arms and Legs” with the Elite being dubbed “The Head” (respectively) and those in the Lower Class/Fodder are given no name. Quite often we have observed that the Berserker in the Pack is treated with the same level of respect as the Leader.  
Those in the Higher Class are lieutenants of a group or take on positions of leadership over certain areas of the tribal unit (such as Scrapper being the Leader of the Construction Unit of a Tribe). All members of the tribe net the same rights of a hunt excluding those in the Fodder Rank as they are often seen as prey rather than Tribal Members.  
In Gamatron’s Tribe, fellow Alpha Males are fitted into the Higher-Class position instead of the older system, which would pit them into the Lower Class or sometimes the Fodder Class. At present we have no indication as to why this has happened. It does however indicate a sharp rise in the evolutionary development of the Decepticon genus.  
For more information on this subject, please continue onto the next section: **SECTION 6: Evolution.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been very busy with work experience and haven't hd much time to write for all my current projects, so this one is a bit late. Sorry about that.


	11. SECTION 6: Evolution

SECTION 6: Evolution

 

 

 

  
Please find above the Cyberbiology “Tree of Evolution”, kindly provided by Eclipse based on his research into Ancient Cybertronians.

 

As you can see from the above image, the tree is split into two halves from one single stem and then various ‘branches’ grow from the two halves; these are the two Genus’ of the Cybertronian Race, Decepticona and Autobotica.  
Both sides of the tree evolved into three main classes which are often referred to in Genealogy as the predetermined classification of a species within the genus, such as a Seeker and an Aerialbot being classed as simply ‘Flying type’ Cybertronians (listed as Avitora). The species which behave in a more peaceful manner towards Autobots often share the same Class as their Autobot allies, with the exception of course to those in the Assaulticatia family.  
All modern-day Cybertronians evolved from primitive beast-like creatures, and over the process of 365 Million Years, became the living beings we are today. Some members of both genuses’ still retain a portion of their ancestor’s mannerisms in both physical appearance and instinctive behaviour.  
Below are examples of the three original classes of Cybertronian, with the only major difference being that Decepticons have always been **_predatory_** in nature; choosing to hunt and kill other Cybertronians for nourishment instead of harvesting native Cybernetic Plants and mineral deposits.  
  
**Category 1: Avitora**  
  
The Decepticons within this class developed flight earlier than those in the Assaulticatia and Motorica families, with their alt-mode being assigned as an aerial vehicle of some kind.  
Cybertronians within this family (on the Decepticon side) have thrived and evolved in flight that they are often very difficult to match in the air, and can now even fly without needing to transform into their vehicular mode.  
What made this feat possible? It’s all down to Cybernetic Biology; Aerialsaultus was the first known flier in Cybertronian history that didn’t go extinct, and if it weren’t for its ability to fly the species would have just been listed as a Predacon. These dragon-like creatures evolved from small minicons within the Destronia branch, choosing to become predatory over the minibots within the Autobotica genus.  
Throughout the physical evolution of the ‘flier’ Decepticon, various hidden factors also evolved with them; the necessity for superior eyesight began evolving into the species only recently within the Superius Aviatorum. The advanced resonating chamber found in modern-day Seekers is also a new addition that is unique to that particular species, as such a trait is not found in Triple Changers.  
  
**Category 2: Assaulticatia**  
  
As the most powerful class, all members within this category are prone to acts of violence towards not just those in the other Decepticon genus categories, but also with each other. Assaulticatia is well known for being primarily occupied by beast-like Cybertronians, with the Terracon and Predacon both belonging to this family branch.  
The Leader Class and Berserker are both a part of this family, stemming from the savage ancestor known as Unicrona (named after the godly figure, Unicron, himself). Whilst the Berserker is listed under the Unicrona branch, it is worth noting that the species actually originated far earlier under the name “Destronia”. In a sense, all Decepticons that stem from this branch are related to Berserkers slightly, with the actual Berserker itself being relatively unchanged from its ancestors.  
Destronia Maximus, also known as the infamous ‘Leader Class’, is a direct descendant of the original ancestor the Destronia. This explains to researchers why exactly the Berserker and Leader Class both share so many strong qualities, and also why they bond better than other members of Assaulticatia.  
  
**Category 3: Motorica**  
  
The members of the Motorica family all display a keenness for speed, and through the family branches it is prevalent to see just why that trait is still ongoing today; the only surviving members of this class are four-wheeled vehicles, with the larger and more powerful engines, instead of the smaller and far more agile Motorcycles.  
Whilst swiftness was favoured over dexterity in the Decepticon automobile race, It has not been without some penalty; with only Vehicona and Stunticonis Erraticus being the last two members of this branch, there is little CNA and RNA to mix around for a new branch to form, as both breeds are so similar. They are even listed as borderline identical minus a few small exceptions.

 

Competing for Prey and Territory

Whilst a majority of Decepticons do not say it, a majority of their ‘negative’ behavioural traits stem from an instinctive drive to possess large amounts of territory filled with preferred prey. When two apex-predators desire a specific type of prey, they must fight for the territory that prey resides within. The need to evolve and adapt is often triggered by this need for possessing the most desirable territory, and for some reason it cannot be obtained through original means; the predator must adapt to survive and stand a chance to obtain that territory later.  
An example of this is seen in an iconic event in Decepticon Cataclysmic History; the Great Genocide of Bone-Breaker the Brutal.

  


  
As indicated in the above graph, the Great Genocide took place between 26 and 20 million years ago. At this point, the Berserkers and Leader Class populations were in fierce competition for territory and prey within those spaces of land; ultimately having a higher population to begin with, the Berserkers thrived and dominated their rival apex-predators, and slaughtered masses of Cybertronians within the 6-million year period of Bone-Breakers rule. Ultimately the favoured prey of the Berserker started to run out as their numbers swelled, and the weaker generations became easy game for the few leader Classes that adapted to the changing situations. This would not have been possible without the instinctive need to breed and evolve. Before the genocide took place, the Leader Class lacked one key trait that it possesses today; an elevated sense of smell.  
Through natural-selection, the Leader Classes that survived were only able to do so by being able to smell out dangerous Berserkers or vulnerable prey long before they could even see them; this put the Leader Class on equal grounds to its rival, and ultimately caused them to stand above them with the aid of their far more advanced eyesight.  
Both apex-predators remain dwindling above the thin line of extinction, but ultimately the two are perfect examples of an ability to adapt to ever-changing scenarios in time to survive.  
Another example of adapting to survive exists in modern-day Predacons and Combaticons; Crossbreeding.  
  
Crossbreeding within the Decepticon Genus  
  
As mentioned previously within the Combaticon, Triple Changer and Casseticon studies; breeding within a single type of Decepticon branch simply maintains the same (or at least vaguely similar) collection of CNA and RNA for future generations. Very few species on Cybertron survive if they stick entirely to their own family branch.  
How did the Predacons prevent their numbers hitting rock-bottom during the massive Berserker population boom? They adapted to be held within the pouches of Casseticons; whilst a Casseticon is no match up against a Berserker, they are far more cautious and are less likely to encounter one to begin with. It is this extra caution and strange maternal instincts to foster any creatures’ offspring that drove the Predacons into the line of crossbreeding for survival.  
Whilst both Predacons and Casseticons are part of the Assaulticatia family, they stem from different branches on that family tree and thus possess more unique and desirable evolutionary possibilities when breeding. Results from crossbreeding vary with each generation, with only the strongest of a brood surviving to develop the next generation of crossbred individuals.  
The only three breeds in the entire Decepticon Genus that rarely crossbreed are the Constructicons, Berserkers and Sweeps. As it is very rare for females to survive in a brood of Leader Class youngsters it is most common to find them crossbred, though with the lines of code being prevalent in the Leader Class and thus, more dominant,  than code from the other partner any chances of witnessing the crossbred traits in Leader Class individuals is highly unlikely.  
  
Sometimes, crossbreeding works more in favour of one breed rather than both, and sometimes the crossbreeding is so successful that an entirely new breed is created (these resulted in the new branches in the evolutionary tree.) The mutated crossbred codes remain dominant and strong, and thus the original weaker codes from the pure-breds slowly dies out until that ‘pure’ member of the breed becomes extinct to make way for the new crossbred members.  
For more information, please continue onto our final subject before the Case Study: **SECTION 7: Extinction.**


	12. SECTION 7: Extinction

SECTION 7: Extinction

  
No Cybertronian today would exist without the aid of both evolution and extinction; without the loss of one species, another would not be capable of thriving and advancing the Cybertronian CNA or RNA pools of Robonetics and Cyberbiology.  
In all Cybertronian history there have been multiple extinction events, with some species of plant and animal becoming extinct whilst another prospers and thrives in the losses of others. And of the two genuses’ that exist today, none have displayed this pattern quite like the Decepticons.  
Please find below a diagram of the three major extinction events.  
  
  
  
  
  
As seen above, there are three areas marked in red with distinguished Era Labelling. These are three of the largest extinction event periods of Decepticon History (some which are also shared by Autobots).  
All figures on the graphs and mentioned here cover the known colonies on Cybertron and Earth only.  
  
The Quintesson Extinction Event  
  
During the 21 million-year period that the Quintessons began to settle and ‘tame’ wild Cybertron (56 million years ago), masses of Cybertronian species vanished off the face of the planet. Whilst the total number of Decepticons was not affected, it did have devastating consequences later in time.  
The class of Assaulticatia had two major predators go extinct during this period with a likely third being wiped from existence; as only written documents detail this Decepticon species, with no fossilised remains yet been found of it, it remains as just speculation that more than two apex-predators entered extinction.  
**What caused this and what impact did it have?** The Quintessons enjoyed the past-time of pit fighting Decepticons against one another for entertainment, and often the most ferocious of these Decepticons were the apex-predators within the Assaulticatia branch; the fights were not regulated correctly, and before the Quintessons realised it they had run out of other apex-predators to fight against their ‘farmed’ stock. The single surviving branch ‘Destronia’ held two very differently evolving branches, one which would become the Constructicons and the other which became everything else in the Destronia family. As those in this surviving branch were both ‘farmed’ for combat or were surviving in the wilds of Cybertron it helps explain why the Constructicons behaved so differently to other members within Assaulticatia.  
  
With the other apex-predators gone in the wild, the Constructicons had plenty of Energon and prey to themselves and only ever had to intimidate other predators for the rights to a kill. This routine of intimidating without brute force caused the Constructicons evolutionary path to bring them to the modern-day ‘peaceful’ creatures we now recognise.  
However, the farmed Destronia were not so fortunate; the Quintessons were brutal and mass-bred the evolved Demolisia branch in order to create new fighting stocks and as a result produced Terracona and Menasorus. The surviving and relatively unchanged Destronia (Berserkers) remained the top member of the food-chain within the farmed stocks, and continued to dominate other species in the fights; this forced the Quintessons into taking drastic measures in their breeding schemes, in order to create a worthy apex-predator that could bring down a Destronia. And thus, the aggressive breeding frenzy which spawned the Unicrona branch began.  
Farmed members of the Menasorus family were released into the wilds of Cybertron and rapidly began to adapt and evolve, and before the easy-going Constructicons knew it they had to deal with far more evolved Combaticons on their territory. It was from some strange form of luck that both breeds of Decepticon adapted the ‘combiner unit’ formation that prevented either of the predators going extinct; that and perhaps the Constructicons swaying towards scavenger status, leaving the Combaticons as the apex-predator in the wild and no longer being deemed as any type of ‘threat’.  
With the extinction of Ferocita and Battaliona, prey was made more easily accessible to Destronia and allowed them to breed so rapidly. In fact, the breeding frenzy did not end until Bone-Breaker’s Era.  
46 million years ago, the Cyberbiology Tree held the breeds which exist today; the Unicrona branch spawned the Leader Class and far more powerful Destronia species (Berserkers). By this point, the Decepticon population steadily started to drop. One would assume the population would actually increase with the rate of breeding the Quintessons issued, but the major impact on creating more predators based on a single stronger gene-pool caused the prey available to rapidly begin depleting. It was at this point that the Quintessons tried a different type of farming; breeding the prey and establishing agricultural land to provide for their ‘pets’. Of course, what the Quintessons did not realise in all the chaos of establishing equilibrium, was that many of their Decepticon and Autobot pets were becoming self-aware.  
By the 44 million-year mark, Decepticon Tribes were established began to surface quickly across Cybertron; the Quintessons found themselves bombarded by their savage pets, and began to enforce order upon them. By the 42 million year-ago mark, rituals and spoken language developed within the tribes, but it was not until 5 million years later that the Berserkers established a structured written language and used it as a form of coordinating the uprising against their Quintessons overlords.  
  
The result of the Quintessons rule was a broken and highly unstable food-chain system; there were now 7 major predatory Decepticons in the chain, when previously there were 4. The farming of land and prey maintained this population of predators long enough for some of them to evolve into omnivores (such as the Constructicon and Casseticon) which brought down the predation rate from a devastating 175% to a more manageable 125%, as some predators (like the Berserker) often favoured preying on fellow predators such as the Predacon and Terracon which kept their population in check.  
As this system developed, the population slowly began to recover over the next 6 million years, until a small spike in activity caused the population to slump downwards once again; this small spike was caused by the rise of Tribal Warfare over the Religious system of The Will of Primus faith vs the Code of Megatronus (aka The Fallen). This blip stabilised itself for a short period, until the Great Genocide 26 million years ago took place under Bone-Breaker the Brutal.  
  
  
The Great Genocide Event  
  
Bone-Breaker’s rule began 26 million years ago after the Tribal Warfare ages (often called the Copper Age). By this point in time, Tribes grew into mixed-breed colony units and the Decepticon Social Hierarchy system was formed; the Civil Ages had begun.  
This period in times name has often been highly deceitful and filled with contradictory facts which confused researchers for many decades; The Civil Ages were by no means ‘civilised’ in the ways that the term is used now. Buildings were being constructed, roads formed over popular travel routes, trading and even currency had been developed, but the dominant Decepticon breeds still hunted like their tribal ancestors and rules the ‘lesser breeds’ with lethal authority.  
This lethal authority caused a massive 75% of all Decepticon life on Cybertron to perish, creating dangerous teetering on the edge of extinction for several breeds (the Leader Class, Predacon and Stunticon are a few examples). However, as these breeds of Decepticon began to decline, the Berserker population exploded to unhealthy levels; their preferred prey (the Predacon and Terracon) were rapidly depleting, and as a result the Berserkers were forced to turn to other breeds for their predatory needs…including hunting fellow Berserkers.  
**What caused this and what impact did it have?** Bone-Breaker was elected the Leader of the Destronia Colonies at the time, being the second leader since the start of the Civil Ages. However, he had strong prejudices with certain breed types and ordered his fellow Berserkers to either enslave those breeds, or kill them on sight. The Leader Class was one of these breeds, and as their population declined the Berserker population increased until Bone-Breakers rule ended 20 million years ago.  
However, as mentioned in the Evolution Topic, the Leader Class began specific breeding methods which increased their chances of survival in a harsh and unforgiving society; Berserkers no longer had the advantage of powerful scent glands, and were dominated by the Leader Class and their far more advanced eyesight and communication skills. Eventually the tables turned, and the Berserker population plummeted to a critical low that it was never able to pull itself free from.  
The age of the Berserker was over; the time of the Leader Class had begun.  
  
  
The Great War Event  
  
Long after Bone-Breaker’s end, the Decepticon population began to skyrocket as the Civil Ages evolved into what is commonly known as the Golden Age of Cybertron; civilisations blended together, with Autobot and Decepticon living under one Senate and governing Council System. Space Bridges were established and colonies were formed elsewhere with both genuses’ being present. But then, 16 million years ago, Megatron began an uprising against a stagnant and corrupt government system. All Cybertronians know the story as it is a very recent event in time, but what we don’t know is the ultimate impact this event in history has had on the Decepticon population…until now.  
80% of all living Decepticons died in the Great War which spanned 7 million years, before 10 million years ago when the war suddenly stopped and the Decepticons attempted to salvage their dwindling populations. Due to lack of communication around this period with the other colonised planets, the figures available are only estimates as some colonies off-Cybertron were not touched by the Great War at all.  
**What caused this and what impact did it have?** Whist many say Megatron’s brutal uprising was not an act of nature, I and my colleagues strongly disagree; throughout evolutionary history those who rise up and dominate other breeds through force are exercising their instinctive needs. Bone-Breaker, as a Berserker, sought to hunt frequently and when placed in a leadership position saw fit to enforce his instinctive desires on those beneath him. Megatron did just the same; his thirst to kill was satisfied in the pits of Kaon, but as a whole he did not have ‘leadership’ of anyone. It is confirmed that Leader Class males need to be in charge of a group (no matter how large or small it is) and that suppressing this natural requirement yields dire consequences. In Megatron’s case, being denied the power of authority for so long, he chose to enforce his instinctive drives to dominate by lethal means. And that whilst the overall Decepticon population dropped incredibly low, a small percentage of breeds in the genus thrived; Seekers were bred more frequently and had evolved to prey on larger targets than previously, and many other breeds of Decepticon began the tedious line of crossbreeding with one another, which has steadily helped the genus begin recovering once again.  
  
  
Death of a Dynasty  
  
It is a well known fact that the Berserkers and Leader Class breeds within the Decepticons are dwindling, and are predicated to become extinct within our current lifetime. The recordings for these two breeds populations is highly accurate, as data on the two were easily obtained from other Cybertronian colonised worlds where the results became clear.  
In total, across all colonised worlds still in contact with Cybertron, the Leader Class population stands at 21 (5 on Cybertron, 1 on Earth and 15 elsewhere). The Berserker population is none-existent on these other worlds and in total stands at 5 on Cybertron and 5 on Earth (all of these Berserkers are related, and thus cannot breed with one another.)  
Whilst taking into consideration that some worlds elsewhere breed Cybertronians for various purposes, a glimmer of hope still remains for the Leader Class to recover its population and become stable. The Berserker on the other hand has no such luck; Cybertronian Breeders were banned by their own regulations from breeding Berserkers as they were far too dangerous.  
So in conclusion; whilst the Terracons, Triple Changers and Leader Class are at risk of extinction within our lifetime they are still capable of recovery through controlled breeding as well as conservation and/or protection schemes being established. The Berserker on the other hand is highly unlikely to recover, and with the breeds foul reputation it is looking very grim at protecting them from further harm.  
  
But whilst things appear dire and hopeless for the Berserker breed as a whole, their RNA and CNA will still live on in the offspring of those whom we have recovered for our Case Study on Cybertron.  
Please move onto our final entry into this series; a three-year study into the lifestyles and survival skills of a single, untouched, young Decepticon Tribe.  
**“Case Study: Life within a Decepticon Tribe.”**


End file.
